Servant's Scene's
by ss9
Summary: A Collection of miscellaneous scene's compiled from various author's, enjoy each and every bizarre one of them!
1. Faloola Bizarre Scene

As the silk mists of early morning rolled gently and serenely down the grounds of Taplows, Emily had taken it upon herself to inspect the house. For over an hour now she had been inspecting the work of the maids, and as she left the earls morning room, after being extremely disappointed with the condition of a George II mahogany tea table, Emily found herself strolling along the corridor outside the Earls office, casually trailing a slender finger along the top of a walnut and oyster laburnum chest, looking for dust, when, suddenly she walked smack bang into a fine-looking stranger.

"I say! Look where you're going why don't you, you stupid maid" said the stranger furiously. "MAID! IM NO MAID" Emily replied just as furiously. "I am the butler's mother, and I demand you to treat me with some respect Sir!"

"Oh I do apologise Madam," said the stranger, for the first time looking deep into her cerulean eyes. "Well, its not your fault I suppose" said Emily with a softened expression in her eyes as she stared back, as, in the back of her mind, she recognised those sea green eyes, they were, oh good grief… "Archibald! What on earth are you doing here!" she exclaimed as she recognised the Earls fine-looking face, "surely it's been nearly 44 years since we last met?"

"Emily, my dearest loveliest Emily, I thought I would never see you again, you have no idea how much I have longed for you for all these years," whispered the Earl, as he grasped Emily's hands bringing her knuckles to his lips as he kissed them tenderly. "But, tell me, what are you doing here? At Taplows of all places!" he asked as he gently led her into his exquisite office.

"Well, Baldy - I can still call you Baldy can I? Well, I came to see my handsome son Walter, as I missed him so much. So after my husband died I moved down here…which does remind me, as I never thought I would see you again, I never thought id get the chance of telling you this wonderfully happy news, though it is difficult to tell you, after all this time…" she trailed off, whilst looking up at him hopefully, all words dying on her lips as she once again gazed into the deep sea green eyes of the only man she had ever really wanted.

He was such a fine, stallion of a man, the only one that could ever fulfil her primal desires, as she gazed at him she could tell instinctively that he was thinking the same as her and their lips met passionately for an all-consuming kiss as his searching hands made their way into places that hadn't been touched for many years. "Oh Emily" grunted the Earl breathlessly, "how I have waited for this moment again", "Oh Baldy, take me! Please!" she whispered. And with that, the Earl precariously lifted Emily onto his George III mahogany partners' desk, and there they set about using muscles and positions that hadn't been used for many a year……………..

Meanwhile, as the Earls mahogany partners' desk was straining in a rather precarious way under the weight and movements of the Earl and Emily, Flora and Jarvis were walking down the corridor holding hands, merrily giggling about Mrs Diggins and the continued lust filled looks that Mr Simpkins kept sending her.

However, just as they turned the corner at the end of the passageway containing the Earls office, they heard some high-pitched squealing… "What the hell is that noise" barked Jarvis "Sounds like bloody pigs, how would they have got inside?"

"Well, it sounds like its coming from the Earls office Walter" replied Flora, "I will not tolerate pigs in this house! Its just not good enough Walter, why do awful things keep happening to me?" she asked, as her sapphire eyes filled with tears, and receiving only a shrug from Walter, she stormed off down the corridor, marching straight into the Earls office.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Flora screamed, as she saw her future mother in law in a position that she had not even had the courage to try yet, as well as seeing more than she would ever want to in her wildest nightmares of the Earl, before collapsing in a dead faint on the oak floor.

Quickly, Jarvis hurtled in after her, before speeding to a stop and vomiting with disgust into the nearest marble covered fireplace. "Mother!"

"Oh, dear, Jarvis! How embarrassing" stuttered the Earl as he quickly did up his trousers and Emily frantically pulled her clothes on. "You see, your mother and I…"

"I will explain this, thank you Baldy" Interrupted Emily, "Walter, stopped looking like a wet fish, I am a woman and I have needs you know! And anyway, the Earl is your real father" and with that she walked out of the room.

Inside the marvellously exquisitely decorated office, an ominous silence had fallen between the Earl and Jarvis, amidst the regular groans from Flora from the floor.

Jarvis was staring at the Earl with a complete look of distaste on his face at the thought of not only the man doing all things biblical with his elderly mother, but also the shock of finding out that his whole life had so far been a darn lie.

On the other hand though, the Earl was taking in the reasonable looks of his newfound son and wondering why he had never seen the likeness between them before. Granted the butler was no wear near as handsome as he was, but the earl put that down to the class he had been brought up in, rather then his obvious good breading. He became filled with glee with the knowledge that, at long last, he had found his heir and could get rid of that dratted Caroline, and with no more ado, he marched up to Jarvis and grasped him in a manly hug, which, try as he mite, Jarvis could do nothing to get out of.

At this point, Flora started to stir from her unconsciousness, and as her blurry vision cleared she saw her fiancé in the arms of her employer, she thought that she was still dreaming, so fell unconscious again to dream of disturbed images involving Walter, the Earl, Emily and a rubber chicken.

However, just as Jarvis began to squirm a little too much in the Earls arms, the Earl realised what his son had become…. "A bloody butler, that's all you are," he expounded as he released Jarvis. A look of repulsion on his rich handsome face, "If you think you are getting any of my money you are mistaken" he yelled at a visibly shocked Jarvis, "Get out! And take that bloody snoring fiancé of yours with you! I will discuss this matter with your mother this evening" and with that he practically manhandled Jarvis and Flora (who he had rudely awakened with his shouting) out of the room, before collapsing back on his Louis XVI walnut chair to contemplate the new development in his life… "A son… Walter…and an heir" he thought, "shouldn't a parent love unconditionally, even if they are a member of the revolting working classes, maybe I should change my will, leave all my estate to my son…"

As the light began to fade, the Earl sat in his office pondering the future of his estate after the shocking revelations and more pleasurable physical exertion of the afternoon. Was it right for him to bequeath everything to his illegitimate, working class son? And if it were surely Jarvis would have to marry an aristocrat rather then that Irish floozy. Or should he keep trying to get that Scottish fox Rebecca into bed? It was a dilemma! As he struggled to drag his sagging miserable body up on to his two feet in order to pace the floor and fill his empty glass with another shot of fine scotch, it suddenly occurred to him that he was old, very old and the chances of getting a pleasant young filly down the aisle and up the duff were slim, about as slim as Lord Julian getting to know Lady Caroline in the biblical sense. So, with a weary heart, he summoned the nearest footman and ordered for his lawyer to be dragged out of Tappleton to alter his will.

Later on that evening, the Earl called a meeting between Lady Caroline and Jarvis with the purpose of telling them all the news. "What's going on Father?" demanded the hugely spoilt Lady Caroline as she stomped into the office, with Jarvis hot on her heels (who had desperately hoping not to see the Earl again quite so soon after the somewhat interesting position that he had had the disgust of seeing him in that morning!)

"Well, my dear…you see…it's like this…" Stuttered the Earl, as his fear of his daughter bubbled up into his throat preventing him from spilling the news, but, he thought to himself, soon she's not going to be my predicament – I will conquer my fear and spit it out…. "Well, the thing is…. Quite… err… when all's said and done…the butler is your illegitimate half brother and I've now left him everything in my will"

A stunned silence followed this revelation as time stood still, before all hell broke loose, as Jarvis slumped to the floor in a dead faint at the thought of so much money and his own butler. Lady Caroline jumped at her fathers throat whilst picking up the nearest book and started bashing him over the head with it screaming "but its my money, mine I tell you – MIIIIIIIIIIIINE!"

That night, after Fred and Joe had persuaded Lady Caroline that murdering her father with a copy of Great Expectations was not a good idea, and had carried her to bed with the aid of Lady Mary's straight-jacket and Jarvis had been revived with the aid of some smelling salts and a few racy promises from Flora. The Earl had finally made it into his George III mahogany tester bed, with moulded cornices, after downing another bottle of exceptionally high quality whiskey in celebration of his newfound son. However as his snores reverberated around his bedroom and his dreams floated between images of Mr Benjamin the horse, Emily Corey and a horsewhip, another female was trying to make her way into his room……

Mrs Stanwick had, for sometime been contemplating the idea of finding a way into the house, and, having spied a light in the Earls bedroom, decided to give it a shot. So, after a quick drink she took off to the Earls balcony before sauntering into his bedroom through the open window. Once inside the bedroom she peered around and following her nose, followed the stench of alcohol and made her way onto the George III mahogany tester bed, not quite used to the softness and unusual texture of the bedcovers, she stumbled across the blanket before reaching the somewhat firmer target of the Earls head.

However, the sudden movement of the Earl stirring in his sleep frightened the poor bird and she started to desperately peck at his head for fear of being attacked. However, astonishingly enough, this woke the Earl from his slumbers and in his drunken panic at seeing a huge bird trying to eat his eyes he threw the empty whiskey bottle left by his fruitwood side table, (an excellent find in Italy) at the bird, missing completely, but unfortunately hitting the late Regency mahogany and ebony-strung cheval dressing mirror which fell to the oak floor with a huge clang, which in turn knocked over the Regency, mahogany bookcase, with moulded arched and tracery astragals, creating a domino effect knocking down each piece of furniture in the room until finally coming to rest on the huge oak cupboard with arched panelled doors, which sat next to the Earls George III mahogany tester bed which creaked ominously at the weight of the other pieces of furniture. By this time the Earl had fallen back into his drunken stupor, which unfortunately for him had terrible effect of him not hearing the final groan of the huge oak cupboard as it collapsed onto his George III mahogany tester bed. The Earl was left breathing his last breath under a pile of exquisite antique furniture, a way any good god-fearing English earl would want to go. After the dust had subsided, a shocked and shaken Mrs Stanwick crept out of the ruins untouched and darted down the hallway after at last succeeding in making her way back into Taplows and punishing her owner for all the hardships she had endured.

While Mrs Stanwick was wreaking her revenge upon the Earl, Lady Caroline was making plans; she wanted that money and was going to stop at nothing till she got it, even if it meant murder, incest and deception……………….

The next day after the shock of the Earls untimely departure from our planet, Lady Caroline was putting phase one "Operation Getting My Money Back", (perhaps she should of spent more time thinking of a better plan title) into action.

Sauntering sweetly into the regency styled drawing room, with a tiny vial of arsenic in her hand she went and perched on her husbands lap. "Why, Caroline…….urghhhhh" moaned Julian as she woke him from his snooze with an attempted gentle nibble on his ear. "What are you doing?" he questioned her, startled at the sudden contact from his wife. "Cant a wife give her husband some affection once in a while Juliey?" she replied, "Here, let me get you another glass of brandy" she said, picking up his empty glass, strolling over to the decanter and pouring him out a large double (or maybe even triple) before deftly emptying the contents of the vial into it. "Here you are my love, enjoy," she whispered in his ear while passing the deadly brandy to him. And with that she strode out of the room, not even looking back at her husband as he began to drink the deadly brandy.

Well, not many households would be up to the task of dealing with two deaths of the aristocracy in 24 hours, but the Taplows staff managed it without a hitch. Due to the hectic turn of events, Jarvis had hardly had time to ponder his new found fortune and family. In 24 hours he had found a father, lost him to a murderous sick and twisted peacock and inherited a fortune – what more could a man ask for? Hmmmmm, a glass of brandy with Flora would be good, he mused to himself, yes and maybe his top hat could be used, oh and the……….. but before he could think any further, Lady Caroline appeared at his doorway with a bottle of brandy in her hand. "Oh, Lady Caroline, was there something you needed?" he asked, automatically reverting into the role of butler, forgetting that he was now her equal and the new Earl.

"Oh brother" she replied "you are all that I want, here have some brandy, I have heard how much you enjoy it" and with that, she poured a generous helping of brandy into his empty glass, along with a sleeping powder that she had secretly slipped into the brandy before hand. A few minutes later, the butler was fast asleep, snoring to a regular beat and dribbling on his gorgeous waistcoat. After checking that he was dead to the world (sleepwise) Lady Caroline took a good look at him, taking in his fine muscular body and handsome good looks – It was no small wonder that they were related really, when she thought about it, both having fine figures and somewhat godlike looks. Anyway, after a rather loud grunt from Jarvis, she was startled out of her thoughts and began to put the next stage of the plan into action, with the help of two, very strong stable hands who had been promised many delights in return for carrying the unconscious butler to the church………………

The next morning, Jarvis woke with a loud snort, on the cold floor of the church with his hands tied behind his back around the alter and the concerned looks of the Rev Postleberry and Lady Caroline peering at him. "Are you alright my darling?" asked the concerned lady "urghh, urrrrr, I'm….fine…….what the hell is going on?" exclaimed the shocked butler as he tried to take in his scary surroundings, but also half drugged and confused.

"Don't you remember my love? It's our wedding day! Oh I'm so happy – it was such a wonderful surprised when you proposed last night, and having the church already booked" she squealed in delight, before planting a huge kiss on Jarvis' astounded lips. "but…but but" he stuttered, trying desperately to remember last night but failing hopelessly, while his amnesia played up causing him to completely forget about Flora, his new but now dead father and the way in which he had just woken up. He thought to himself that Lady Caroline would never make something like that up, he was the butler, she wouldn't want to marry someone below her station, unless she really did love him so she must be telling the truth……

Meanwhile, back at the house a disgruntled Flora was searching high and low for Jarvis, who had failed to turn up in her room again last night, pondering on whether he had got lost, found a better offer or got trolleyed with too much alcohol, she tearfully made her way through every room, closet and cupboard in the house before calling a staff meeting in order to find out where he was… "So no one has seen Mr Jarvis – is that right" Flora questioned the lower servants.

"Well this is a problem, from now on everyone is removed from their normal duties to look for him, I must find him, I must" she repeated to herself in a whisper, trying to remove the awful thoughts of how she could possibly cope without him and his amazing talent in the……..,

"Excuse me…..Mrs Ryan….helooooooo" interrupted one of the maids, trying desperately to get Mrs Ryans attentions as her eyes had taken on a glazed look and was beginning to dribble. "Mrs Ryan!" the maid yelled, pinching her on the arm.

"Oh" she jumped, "sorry, I was miles away, what is it Griselda?"

"Well, its like this Ma'am, well I've just remembered and you see, last night I saw Bill and Ben the twin stable lads dragging something that looked like a body in the directions of the church, and I could swear that I saw Lady Caroline skipping behind them with a……." but before she could finish, Flora was away, running for her life in the direction of the church….

Inside the church however, the service was proceeding. Lady Caroline was thinking to herself just how well "Operation Getting My Money Back" was going, not only had she procured a handsome new husband (even if he was her half-brother) but she had also got rid of that waste of a space father and previous husband in just one day! Jarvis was also having a little think as Rev Postleberry was droning on about for better or for worse, why oh why would Lady Caroline want to marry him? Whatever would her father say? Surely he would be fired…..but then it hit him, his mother and the Earl in flagrant, the revelations, the brandy – Lady Caroline was nothing but an evil toff – he had to get out of here….

At that moment he tuned back into what was being said "Do you Mr Jarvis?" asked the Rev.

"Do I what?" he snapped, "Take Caroline to be your lawful wedded wife" he replied.

"No I certainly do not" said Jarvis, and immediately began to dash for the front door of the church. But as he began to run, he realised that whilst his feet were moving, he wasn't, and he tripped and fell with a crash to the floor. Not only had Lady Caroline previously tied him to the alter, but she had also tied a rope around him, attaching him to the pew, but in his somewhat distracted state of mind he had yet to notice this.

"There, there Wally" said Lady Caroline as she consoled the now sobbing Jarvis as she tried desperately to crawl away from this madwoman. "It will be alright, all you have to do is to marry me and then we will have all the money and babies that we could ever wish for" she shrieked in excitement leaning in and dragging him to his feet, with a disturbingly mad glint in her eye, as Jarvis began to scream with horror, and the Rev began to hum "All creatures great and small".

Outside however, Mrs Ryan had just arrived at the front door, panting madly and completely out of breath. Hearing the heart rending screaming of her fiancé she wasted no time and hearing the steady drone of "Are there any persons here present……" she knew that her moment had come and she stormed into the church yelling "I OBJECT".

Inside the church there was a deathly silence as Lady Caroline turned in shock at the intruder, Rev Postleberry dropped his bible and Jarvis sank to his knees in a blubbering, relieved wreck. "How dare you!" hissed Lady Caroline "This is my wedding day – what gives you the right to barge in on it?"

"Well its quite simple my dear" replied Flora venomously, "not only have you stolen my fiancé, you are also marrying your brother, which quite frankly is sick and wrong, but to top it all you drugged him last night when I was looking forward to a good slurp of brandy with him!"

"Right, that's it" screamed Lady Caroline "Carry on Rev, I will just deal with this Irish hussy" and she leaped from her position in the aisle running to the pair of swords hanging conveniently on the church wall. Flora, seeing her intentions got there just as Lady Caroline ripped one from the wall, and as Flora grabbed the other one, all the time in the background Rev Postleberry carrying on with the service as if nothing was amiss. Meanwhile, the two women were circling each other preparing to strike with the swords, then, in a flash, Lady Caroline leaped towards Flora aiming to strike at her dress, but in an instant Flora had blocked her and knocked her on her back, immediately Flora jumped on her and sat on her preventing her from moving whilst screaming at the top of her voice for the footmen that were waiting outside.

"Take her away boys" she ordered as the footmen arrived, complete with Lady Marys overused straight-jacket to cart Lady Caroline off to the nearest asylum, before strolling over to Jarvis and using the sword, nimbly slicing his ropes and helping him to his shaken feet. "Oh Walter, I was soooooo worried" she cried, throwing her arms around him, "all the awful things that she could have done to you, not least the incest, you must have been so scared"

"Oh I was Flora, I was, what would I have done without you to save me from her evil clutches, You're my hero!" he told her, with a lustful glint in his eyes, as, for all the terror that he had just felt, he couldn't help notice the way Flora had used that sword, now that could come in useful one evening, perhaps with some string…………..

That evening, after all the fuss had died down, Jarvis had had a bath and Lady Caroline had been removed from the vicinity, for good. Flora and Jarvis were sitting in the drawing room contemplating their new found wealth, for now, neither of them would have to work ever again, and could devote their time to each other and the process of making babies. Flora reached over to stroke her fiancés face "this is just what we need Walter, now we can be a happy family, forever!"

And they lived happily ever after.


	2. Grem's ServantsCrossover

Everyone in the room looked up as a phone rang. Embarrassed, Flora stood up quickly, grabbed her bag, pulling her phone out of it, 'Gavin Cochrane' she quickly pressed the phone down button, stopping the ringing. They all glance at each other for a moment, before allowing the conversation to begin again. However a few moments later Flora's phone rang again, she took one look at the caller and stopped the call again.

Felix/Rebecca: Who are you trying to avoid? The whole room's attention was suddenly on her and she muttered.

Flora: No one.

Rebecca: It doesn't sound like no one.

Flora: Becca, leave it! That was the loudest anyone had heard her speak over the last 2 days and everyone looked at each other shocked. It was only 5 minutes before they heard Flora's phone buzz again. Sighing she picked up her phone again and began to read her message, 'I no u h8 me the mo, but the DCI is headin ur way, she h8s me, so I wuld appreci8 it if u culd not say nothing that wuld land me bk in prison, I'm truly sorry, Gx' Flora quickly deletes the message and puts her phone back on the table.

Will: You are being very secretive. Flora doesn't comment on this, just glances at him.

It wasn't long before Flora got an unwanted visitor.

Richard: Ms Ryan? Flora stands up and sees Richard leading in a woman and a policeman.

Carol: DCI Carol Jordan, Ms Ryan. leaning in to shake her hand, which Flora takes, before turning to look at the man next to her.

Don: Sargent Don Merrick.

Flora: My pleasure. shaking his hand Will you sit? They nod and sit down. Flora glances at others in the room and gives them the slightest wink

Carol: I'm sorry to interrupt your… party? Ms Ryan.

Flora: Not so much a party, more of a weekend reunion. She nods

Carol: I suppose you know we are here Ms Ryan?

Flora: Well of course, however I distinctly remember telling your other Sergeant, that there was to be no investigation. I am a busy woman. 

Carol: I know and I totally appreciate that, however this is to do with other things not just your apparent breaking and entering the other day, and we must question you. The room all see Flora's face sour and Will, George, Fred and Joe all glance at each other, their respective other halves looking curiously between them.

Flora: Well if you must you must, but I would appreciate it if we did this quickly.

Carol: Of course. trying her best to smile at the woman. Now the other day, you phoned us, telling us you had an uninvited guest, who broke down your door and was apparently hassling you. Flora rolls her eyes and nods One Mr Gavin Cochrane? Flora nods Now tell me Ms Ryan, have you ever met Mr Cochrane before?

Flora: Well he is a very respectable figure in my circles in London, so yes I had met Gavin Cochrane before.

Carol: How well did you know him?

Flora: Erm… not very well, I'd only spoken to him on occasion.

Carol: Really? Flora nods, however those who knew her well in the room could tell her was lying, by the colour in her cheeks and her obvious uncomfort, as she kept wringing her hands, however as always she kept her cool.

Flora: Yes, DCI. smiling sweetly.

Carol: Have you seen, or heard from him since your little incident the other day?

Flora: No. However Carol doesn't seem satisfied.

Carol: We have a report here from a number of neighbours, who live near you. holding out to grasp a sheet of paper from Don. It says that you on a good week, you will only return home 3 nights a week. That's not very many. Where do you go the other 4 nights Ms Ryan?

Flora: Places, here, there… you know. Carol shakes her head

Carol: I'm afraid I don't.

Flora: Parties, sometimes I don't finish work until very late.

Carol: And you tend to gate crash these parties? And fall asleep at your desk?

Flora: Have you ever been to a gallery gala?

Carol: I ask the questions.

Flora: I'll take that as a no. A gallery gala is a party, where you look around the hosting gallery, on a good night, you will dance, talk to a lot of important people and if you're lucky get completely leg less on the finest foreign champagnes. I'm sure you can imagine the sort of thing. Well depending on where the gallery is depends on whether I go home or not. If I don't I will stop in some hotel. 

Carol: Why not call for your driver?

Flora: Because of the hours, even I am not cruel enough to call my driver at 4 in the morning.

Carol: You're are paying him.

Flora: Even still, 4 in the morning, 4 nights a week, no matter how much I pay the bastard, he ain't gonna stick around for so long. Carol nods Same for a late work night.

Carol: You say 'important people' go to these… galas, what do you mean by 'important people'?

Flora: Oh the usual, gallery owners, the mindless journalists-

Carol: Like John Raymont? They all see the flicker of terror in Flora's eyes, as she says that name.

Flora: Excuse me?

Carol: John Raymont. she repeats, taking a photo from Don and showing it to Flora. If I'm not entirely wrong he's been your escort for the last few of these dos.

Flora: Oh John Raymont. pretending to suddenly understand

Carol: What was your relationship with Mr Raymont, Ms Ryan?

Flora: My relationship with Mr Raymont was completely professional. Standing up and offering them a drink, which neither accept, before pouring herself a brandy.

Carol: Care to explain your definition of professional?

Flora: John Raymont is a very powerful journalist, I would have been stupid to say no to his escort.

Carol: And stupid not to take up his offer of a roll under the sheets? Flora spins around and glares at the DCI.

Flora: It was nothing like that.

Carol: Alright. There is silence for a moment. On the night of you last gala, at the Tate Gallery, John Raymont was your escort? Flora nods Then Ms Ryan… leaning in closer to Flora as she sits down Would you care to tell me why you left the party early without your escort. 

Flora: Because I had a headache. Carol sighs and pulls up the addition of the Guardian, Flora had read so many times and flung it down in front of her.

Carol: Do you read the Guardian Ms Ryan? She shakes her head You never even read the gala write ups. Not even John Raymont's stories? She shakes her head So you are telling me, you let this man escort you to the galas for publicity you don't even read?

Flora: That's right.

Carol: Rather strange. So you never read his last article? flickering to the right page in the paper. Which contained his passing comment about 'the well known art world ball breaker' and her extra-professional activities at the party? I don't suppose you've any idea who he's referring to do you Ms Ryan?

Flora: I'm afraid I don't.

Carol: You know Ms Ryan, we have not yet checked the CCTV tapes on the night of the gala, but we easily can and if we find out you've been wasting police time, well that could mean a large fine or a large sentence in prison. So I'll ask you again, do you have any idea who he's referring too?

Flora: Alright, alright! she rubs her head.

Carol: As I suspected, I'm glad we sorted that one out. Now Ms Ryan, could you possibly tell us who was with you at the time?

Flora: I- I don't remember. I'd had a lot to drink.

Carol: Suit yourself, after all you did have a 'headache'. Flora swallows, and looks down at the table. What about the day Mr Cochrane broke down your front door and wouldn't leave?

Flora: What about it?

Carol: Come on Ms Ryan, listen to this, taking the hand-held tape recorder and beginning to play what was on the tape. This is from your… locksmith. Flora's eyes widen.

Locksmith: 'It was about 2 I got a call from Gavin Cochrane telling me that Ms Ryan had lost the key to her house and he'd had to break the door down to let her in and I was to come as soon as possible.' They then hear the voice of Carol

Carol: 'What was the house like when you got there? Were both Ms Ryan and Mr Cochrane there?'

Locksmith: 'When I rang the doorbell I sort of glanced through the doorway, there was no one there and there was a moment before Mr Cochrane came from upstairs.'

Carol: 'What about Ms Ryan?'

Locksmith: 'Well I thought that curious, that he'd be there and her not, I mean I know Ms Ryan well enough to know that she does everything herself. So I asked him and he muttered something about her being in the bath.'

Carol: 'And when did she first appear?'

Locksmith: 'Not long after.'

Carol: 'What was she wearing? I mean did she look like she'd just got out of the bath?'

Locksmith: 'Yes, she looked as though she had got out in quite a hurry and her hair was wet?'

Carol: 'What did she say?'

Locksmith: 'She flung his jacket and him and told him to leave.'

Carol: 'She flung her jacket at him? Had it already been downstairs or had she brought it down with her?'

Locksmith: 'She'd brought it down with her.'

Flora: It's not how it sounds! Carol raises a finger to her lips to silence her

Carol: 'Then what happened?'

Locksmith: 'He refused to leave until she told him why she suddenly wanted him to leave. Said something about her one minute being gagging for it then as cold as ice.' Flora rubs her head, shaking it

Carol: 'Had she already rung the police? For the tape, the witness is nodding his head.' My Sargent told me, he tried to strike you for calling the police, before they handcuffed him. Why not allow a investigation to be carried out, Ms Ryan? This man you say you barely knew. But you do know him don't you?

Flora: I've already told you.

Carol: So you allow any men to wait upstairs while you take a bath? And you told my Sergeant he broke your down door and refused to leave. 

Flora: That is what happened!

Carol: But he had your permission to enter? Flora doesn't say anything for a moment. I feel the need to ask again, how well do you know Mr Cochrane? Flora still doesn't say anything.

Don: Ms Ryan, we have a hospital document here, saying that you were brought into hospital at 11 in the morning on the day we have mentioned, brought to hospital by Gavin Cochrane.

Flora: He was helping me, I'd been mugged and he was passing, took me to hospital and then organised for the locksmith to come.

Carol: He was passing? Not all men who see a woman being mugged would stop and help, surely there were a lot of other people around. Unless of course you'd just been talking to him.

Flora: I've already told you, I have nothing to do with-

Carol: Let me tell you what I think Ms Ryan. You read John Raymont's article on the Tate gala and become worried about the barely discreet mention of you, naturally you organise to meet Gavin, him being on the other end of this-

Flora: That-

Carol: Don't interrupt me! You talk, he tells you he'll sort it out and you part, however he sees you in trouble, takes you hospital, then takes you home, breaking down the door for you and letting you in, rings the locksmith and allows you to get in the bath, then we get to the locksmith saying about you being gagging for it etc. Was Mr Cochrane planning on joining on you, when the locksmith had left? What made you change your mind Ms Ryan? After all this fling with Mr Cochrane is hardly a new thing.

Flora: You said this investigation was nothing to do with the other day, so would you care to tell what this is about?

Don: Thomas Montague, Ms Ryan. showing her another photo Know him? 

Flora: Who doesn't? The bastard is about to go under.

Don: He's not anymore.

Flora: What!

Don: Mr Montague was about to go under when an unexpected large amount of money appeared.

Flora: What has this got to do with Mr Cochrane and myself?

Don: We want to know where that money came from.

Flora: And you think it was Gavin? They both nod, there is a pause Why was he in prison before?

Carol: Murder.

Don: But he got cleared. Flora nods

Carol: He shouldn't be out.

Flora: You think he shouldn't have been cleared?

Carol: No, he didn't kill anyone, but back in the old days, before prison hit him, he was in some dodgy circles, he always got his underlings to do his dirty work for him. Robberies etc.

Don: When he got out, he bought this gallery, borrowed money probably. Flora nods There are those who think he's really harmless. 

Carol: And there are those who don't! Montague blames you for him going down.

Flora: I know that, bastard.

Carol: We think he got the money from Gavin, who got it in some scam and we are determined to pin Cochrane for this one.

Flora: I'm sorry, but I can't help you.

Carol: We need to know if you've had any contact with Gavin Cochrane since that day the police came? Flora shakes her head

Flora: I've told you, nothing.

Carol: You told us a lot of other untrue things too.

Don: May we looked at your phone Ms Ryan? For a moment, they all see the despair in her eyes, but she passes her phone over. There is silence for a moment, as Don flicks through her phone. She was just relieved that she'd deleted that text message. Last two received calls, Gavin Cochrane, both unanswered, no more than an hour ago.

Flora: I've not SPOKEN to him, I've not SEEN him.

Carol: Any text messages?

Don: Nothing from Cochrane.

Carol: Why are you not answering his calls Ms Ryan? Why did you call the police? She doesn't answer and the two sigh. Beginning to flick through their papers, to see if they could get any information. 

Don: What time did the locksmith come? Suddenly finding a sheet of paper 

Flora: I don't know I'd lost track of time. 2:45ish, I don't know. 

Don: How long was Cochrane downstairs, before you got out of the bath? 

Flora: 10? 15 minutes?

Don: We have a list here of all call made to and from his mobile, he got a call at 2:57 to his mobile. But he wasn't their to answer the call and if his jacket was with you, then you must have answered that call. Flora smiles

Flora: Well done.

Carol: Who was the call from?

Flora: Why are you asking me if you already know? Smiling at Carol, sarcastically.

Carol: What did Thomas Montague have to say? Flora doesn't answer Tell us Ms Ryan. Flora looks up at them and begins to whisper.

Flora: He said he'd been trying to reach Gavin all day, but he'd not been answering his calls. Flora swallows and takes a deep breath. Montague hired Gavin Cochrane to get back at me and was most annoyed when he found out about Gavin's relationship with me. I don't think Gavin mentioned on his plan that he was going to get into bed with me.

Don: I'm not sure if Gavin planned it too.

Flora looking up at him: What?

Don: When did you first meet Gavin Cochrane?

Flora: 31st of March.

Don: Montague didn't first call Cochrane until the 7th of April. 

Flora: But- that means… Don nods and smiles at her.

Don: I told you Cochrane was not our guy Carol.

Carol: Hang on, back up a bit.

Don: He tells Gavin to get back at Ms Ryan, which Gavin takes up cause he's already close to her. Glancing at Flora, who nods But when it came to it, he couldn't do it. Montague gets pissed off and decides if Cochrane can't do it, then no one can, so he gets the money instead.

Carol: But from who?

Flora: Tom Montague would give interest to anyone who could help him out. So the person who gave him the info, must have known about Gavin and myself and jumped straight in their to tell him.

Don: Then he gets the money for Montague and gets the interest. Flora nods Who knew about you and Gavin?

Carol: Raymont? Flora shakes her head.

Flora: He didn't know Gavin by name, if he had he would have mentioned him in the article, he didn't mention the man cause he had no idea of his name, if the tabloids began to ask about Gavin, he wouldn't have been able to give him a name. Don nods Well I can't think of anyone else… Gavin's driver, the slimy one, his sort of… body guard if you like.

Don: Danny Abrams? Showing her another photo and Flora nods and shivers 

Flora: He gave me the creeps.

Don: Danny did most of dirty work for Cochrane and… kept things ticking over when Gavin was inside.

Carol: It's got to be him. Don nods Power hungry and able to get his hands on a lot of cash if need be. Don nods again He's been dying for an opportunity to get Cochrane for years. He's been longing to be boss for ages, thought everything was alright when Cochrane was locked up, but then he was released.

Don: So we going for Abrams then, as well as Montague? Carol nods, as they stand

Carol: Thank you Ms Ryan?

Flora: Is that it?

Carol: I think we've wasted enough of your time already. Flora stands and shakes their hands, bidding them goodbye. Once they'd gone, Flora sits down gobsmacked.

Felix: Are you alright?

Flora: I don't believe it. She whispers. Then suddenly she jumps up and darts to the window, but it was too late, she saw Carol and Don driving away. Shit! She dashes to her phone and begins to ring someone. You stupid bastard! As she hears the voice, that told her his phone was off, she doesn't wait to leave a message, she just stops the call and begins to call his house number, but there is no answer, and his message service began to kick in. Gavin! It's Flora! I need you to ring me as soon as you get this message! I know it wasn't you, it was Abrams sucking up to Montague, the police are going to get them, but you had better stay out of their way until- Suddenly someone picks up the phone

Montague: Ms Ryan, how lovely to hear your voice.

Flora: Gavin?

Montague: Guess again?

Flora: Montague!

Montague: Correct. Thank you so much Flora, for informing us that the police were coming, it'll give us a little head start.

Flora: I need to talk to Gavin.

Montague: No can do I'm afraid, he's asleep at the moment.

Flora: What do you mean asleep?

Montague: Sorry did I say asleep, I meant unconscious. Same thing really, you know, both means he's unable to talk… at the moment, but it won't be long before we… silence him for good- She gasps and hangs up. 

Rebecca: What is it? Flora doesn't say anything.

Felix: Flora?

Flora: It's too late. she whispers Montague and Abrams have got Gavin. There is silence throughout the room. I have to go to him! picking up her keys

Jarvis: No! grasping her arm Let the police deal with this.

Flora: I have too. I'll get there long before the police even think to go to Gavin's flat! I lost the first man I loved through my own stupidity, I'm not about to loose my only other when I can do something about this. Let me go Walter. You've done it before. she whispers and the room goes silent, as he lets go of her arm. Thank you. Walter shakes his head

Jarvis: I'm coming with you. Flora shakes his head

Flora: You'll be ripped to pieces.

Jarvis: Then what chance do you have alone? Flora pauses for a moment then nods. Jarvis glances at Andrew, who nods. Then to Will, who also nods. The three men follow her out.

Rebecca: Andrew! dashing out after his, followed by everyone else Andrew Adams don't you dare get in that car! As Jarvis holds the door open for him, but he steps in, followed by Will, Then Jarvis steps in himself, closing the door. Flora reverses back smoothly, shouting out of her window.

Flora: Do you want to get run over? They all move out of her way, then she changes gear and speeds quickly down the path.

Fred: Nice car. they all nod

Fiona: She drives so fast, but has such control, at this time of night, they'll be in London in an hour, max.

Victoria: What's the deal between Walter and Ms Ryan?

Fred: Long story.

George: Very long story.

Joe: Basically years ago they had a thing, but it all ended in tears. She and Will had an affair.

Sophie/Vicky/Isabel: Never! The men nod

Joe: Huge at the time.

Rebecca: I don't think you should be discussing such things.

Felix: That's in the past.

Rebecca: And it stays there. They all walk into the house.

Sophie: She seemed so sweet and quiet 2 hours ago. They all chuckle 

Felix: I think she was more shy than anything.

Victoria: Shy? But you all know each other so well.

Fred: There was a time when Ms Ryan had so much respect, but after everything that happened at Taplows, she thought she'd lost all that.

Felix: Walter told her she had.

Rebecca: He planted it into her head, that everyone thought she was some whore.

Grace: We never lost any respect for her. But it was all too much.

George: Walter didn't take it well when he found out.

Felix: Neither did someone else. glancing at Emily.

Sophie: That's why you don't like her. Emily nods

Fred: We all thought they were happy for a while.

Felix: They were pretending to be the happy couple for their unborn child. 

Sophie: What happened to the child? Felix shrugs

Felix: We all went our separate ways and Flora told Walter she'd miscarried again. Maybe she made it up? Maybe it was true? We don't know.

Rebecca: It was true. I helped her get through it. Losing the baby before caused a lot of damage and when the baby reached 10 weeks, she miscarried.

Grace: And she can't have children? Rebecca nods

Rebecca: Not without a miracle.

Cut to Flora and the three men getting out of the car. Flora had got Walter to ring the police while she'd been driving, he'd got them to contact the DCI and Don and tell them that Montague and Abrams were at Gavin's. Flora found the door to Gavin's apartment unlocked.

Flora: Gavin? They were silence, she glanced at Walter and they walked further into the house, Flora noting to herself to tell Gavin that his apartment was so 'him'… if she ever saw him again. Gavin are you here?

Will: Flora. coming out of the living room, she looks at him and shakes her head. She follows him into the living room and gasps. Gavin was on the floor, she dashes down next to him, cradling in him in her arms.

Andrew: No sign of anyone else.

Flora: Walter, can you go and get my first aid box from the back of my car and Andrew, you better go and see if the DCI has called me, I left my phone in the car, you may as well wait there. Will you should go down too, you two wait and Walter you bring me my box and we'll get him to the car. They nod, and hear a little groan from Gavin, as he moves his head from one side to the other. Gavin darling are you alright? Can you hear me? Walter, Will and Andrew leave and Gavin groans again and coughs slightly, moving his head again. Gavin? 

Gavin: Go. He just manages to get out.

Flora: Are you kidding? I'm not going to leave you here. You don't have to worry, Montague and Abrams have both gone now and the police will catch up with them. Once again Gavin moves his head from side to side. What? she whispers, before feeling a firm hand cover her mouth.

Out by the car, Walter is looking in the back of the car.

Walter: Andrew get out of the way, I need that light from the street lamp, I can't see a bloody thing!

Will: Here. throwing him a torch from the front of the chair. Have you seen this car? Magnificent.

Andrew: You are supposed to be looking for her phone, not admiring the views. 

Will: Alright, alright. Keep your pants on, I mean I know I'm as gorgeous as Rebecca, but you really aren't my type. Walter chuckles, still searching.

Montague: Who are your friends Flora?

Flora: None of your business! wriggling in Danny's arms

Montague: Well thank you for getting rid of them, made our jobs a lot easier. 3 against two, really wouldn't be fair.

Flora: Just like both of you against Gavin! Montague tuts and Danny smirks 

Montague: Fool! I don't like people who go against my wishes Flora! You weren't meant for Gavin, you were meant for me. I was supposed to be the one to kiss those baby soft lips of yours first. He whispers, running his hand down the side of her face, causing her to flinch. You run along now Danny, go check on Gavin, give me and Flora a moment alone. Danny nods, smiling cheekily and realising her, at the same time as Tom grabbed her. You've know idea how long I've waited for this Flora! Wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. She wriggles and tries to pull away from him, but his grip is firm. He pulls her closer and begins to kiss her, she struggles, bringing her knee up hard, he bends over in pain, as she dashes for the door, but he grabs her. You are going to regret that! 

Flora: Walter! She screams… like she had twice before, but he hadn't come those times… so why would he this time?

Walter: For gods sake! Why are women's intrusions so poor? She said in the back of the car! If she meant the boot, why didn't she just say the boot! Bloody women! As he pulls the first aid kit out of the boot, throwing Will the torch.

Will: Walter! As the phone rang, Walter snatches it off him and answers it.

Walter: She's just with Gavin at the moment, he's in a bit of a mess… No, there is no sign of anyone else… no there is no need for you to com- Her scream for him, echoed out of the open door throughout the street. Flora! He throws the phone at Will, and he and Andrew dash into the house, running up the many stairs. They dashed in and quickly saw Danny hovering over Gavin, who smirks when he sees them. Where's Flora? They hear another scream, coming from a room to their left. They both dash towards it but Danny stops them. It was Andrew who took the first punch, giving Walter the chance to get passed him and towards Flora. He flung the door open, to see Flora lay on the floor, Montague covering her and trying in vain to undo her dress. Walter jumped forward and pulled him off her, Flora gasped and smiled, relieved. Walter pulled Montague up and threw him against the wall, smacking him sharply across the face. Montague didn't like this and punched him in the stomach, knocking all the wind out of him. Using this to his advantage, he grabbed his head, knocking it against the wall. Flora shrieked, but Walter quickly got his revenge, grabbing him he pinned him against the wall and began to continually punching him in the stomach, and across the face, saying each other his next words, as he threw a punch. No one!… Ever!… Touches!… The!… Woman!… I!… Love!… And!… Gets!… Away!… With!… It!… Is that clear! No one!

Will: The DCI is on her way, sir! entering the room. Andrew's got Abrams pinned down.

Walter: Good. Spinning Montague around and pulling his arms painfully behind his back. When the DCI and her men appeared, Will went to get Flora's first aid box for her. The men took Montague and Abrams away and the DCI thank Flora and the others.

Carol: Very well done Ms Ryan, you'd make a good cop you know. But Flora wasn't listening, she was too busy seeing to Gavin.

Walter: You'll be getting idea's into her head Miss Jordan.

Carol: I'm serious.

Gavin: She couldn't cope. He gasps She loves her gala's and parties too much. They all chuckle

Flora: Shush! I'll sort you two out when we get back. she mutters to Walter and Andrew, who nod and with the help of Walter, they get Gavin into the car.

Carol: Thanks again, Ms Ryan.

Flora: My pleasure. she mutters, getting into her car.

The car was silent all the way back, Flora was crying silently and no one knew what to say to her. Everyone came dashing out as the car pulled up, Walter got out first, pulling open the back door for Andrew, who got out, then the two of them helped Gavin out, while Will and Flora got out at the other side.

Rebecca: Oh my good god! She exclaims. They all get into the hall and Flora pours them all brandies. Flora let me help you. pulling the kit off her and beginning to clean up Andrew, while she began to do Walter, but he shakes her away.

Walter: Don't you think, you should change Gavin's bandages, I'm sure I can wait. She smiles at him and moves to Gavin.

George: Well are you going to tell us your tale?

Rebecca: Not now George. cleaning the cuts on Andrew's head.

When Rebecca and Flora had finished, they both turned to Walter, but Walter insisted that Flora be looked at first.

Flora: It's nothing really, I've had worse. as Rebecca began to fuss over her, but she finally gives in and allows it. After a while, she snorts and they all look up at her. You'd think I'd be good at this sort of thing by now wouldn't you?

Walter: I'm not sure it's the sort of thing you become good at? she mutters and she smiles slightly

Flora: I should take a course in defence, no not just cause I may want to kick the crap of them as well as defending myself. They all chuckle.

Gavin: I was worried you know. I didn't know whether you had got my text before Don and the number one bitch of DCIs. They all chuckle 

Flora: She wasn't that bad. Once she'd cleared up the fact that 'she asked the questions' we were alright.

Andrew: Yer well we all know you aren't the most co-operative of people.


	3. Jen's Alt Charmayne Scene

Turning the handle of the bathroom door, Flora entered and made her way over to the big sink by the wall. Placing the jug on the side she looked up at herself in the mirror before splashing water from the bowl over her face. Get a grip Flora she told herself. But why had he come to her room that evening? His excuse about the maids was ludicrous; she didn't believe that one for an instant. Did she dare to hope that his reason for being outside her door was because of their conversation in the garden? Was he going to ask her to stay for him but then his courage failed at the last minute? Don't be silly Flora, she chided herself, this is exactly the kind of female delusions and fantasies that he dislikes and finds irritating. But maybe you aren't being so irrational, another voice in her mind piped up with. His behaviour towards Mr Edwards has been barely short of hostile ever since the man took a shine to you, he certainly doesn't want you to leave Taplows whatever his reasons may be, he danced with you this evening and as for by the lake, he certainly didn't seem indifferent to you then.

Why had he kissed her? Surely he wouldn't have done that if he didn't feel anything for her. This was Mr Jarvis, a man who was a stickler for propriety and decorum when it came to almost everything. He so rarely gave his feelings away that such a display was totally unlike him and made it all the harder to interpret. Shivering slightly she allowed herself to remember their encounter by the lake that evening, after all it was probably the only way she would ever be able to be close to him again. Closing her eyes, she let herself replay it all in her mind; the feel of his arms round her, the scent of his aftershave, his lips on hers and then…if she hadn't been so angry with him she'd probably have swooned in his arms there and then. Why oh why had she reacted that way! It wasn't as though that wasn't what she wanted, after all how many nights had she dreamt of him kissing her and then when it actually happened she rejects him and behaves how everyone thinks the prudish Mrs Ryan would behave when a man showed any interest in her.

Blinking furiously as she felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes, she began to rifle through her pockets in search of a handkerchief. She just had to accept that it was never going to happen and move on, something she had been telling herself for months. Only know that she knew he may have been interested and she had blown her chance it was going to be that bit harder. Although if he really did have feelings for her then why had he still not asked her to stay. What do you think he was doing outside your room tonight Flora, her heart screamed back at her, and why the hell do you think he kissed you?

"Oh Walter, why did you?" Flora murmured, wiping the remains of tears from her face.

"Why did I what?" Jarvis suddenly replied from the doorway causing the housekeeper to whirl round and stare at him in shock.

"Mr Ja…Walter. What are you doing here?" Flora stammered

"Why did I do what?" Jarvis repeated, ignoring her question and moving into the room, closing the door behind him.

"I…I was wondering why…"

"Yes…" Jarvis prompted, taking another step towards her, the reflections of the moonlight throwing shadows over his face and hiding his expression from her.

"Why you kissed me earlier. Why did you do that Walter, you've never given any indication of interest in me before that?" Flora practically whispered.

"Why do you think I did Flora?" Jarvis retorted "What I want to know though, is why you really want to leave, and none of that rubbish you were giving me earlier, I know when you're hiding something Flora…" Jarvis added softly.

For a moment Flora stood there just looking at him, could she really tell him why she was leaving? He hadn't told her why he kissed her and what would she do if he said he wasn't interested in anything other than friendship, that would be devastating to hear from his own lips, that he didn't think of her like that, but then again maybe she needed to hear it…

"I….I told you earlier Mr Jarvis, I need to move on with my life, and now seems as good a time as any to do so." Flora muttered in response, fidgeting with her shawl and staring at the wall rather than him.

"Move on from what Flora?" Jarvis insisted, taking another step towards her.

"I've been a fool, I've been deluding myself that something might happen in the future but the other night I heard something that confirmed it wouldn't. And so I need to move on from here." Flora whispered, finally looking up at him, trying to see his expression but the shadows still masked it from her.

"I see." Jarvis replied impassively. "Tell me, what did you want me to say earlier when asking me for a reason to stay at Taplows."

"I'm not going to feed you an answer Walter!" Flora cried, exasperated with his evasions. "If you have such a problem with me leaving then you tell me why. And you still haven't answered my question about why you kissed me!"

Not answering her immediately, Jarvis took a couple more steps towards her so they were only a few inches apart. Reaching a hand up, he brushed a couple of loose strands of hair off her face, watching as she closed her eyes and a slight shudder ran through her. "Why do people normally kiss Flora?" He whispered huskily in her ear before gently brushing his lips against hers, feeling her start to respond and return the kiss. However, suddenly she pulled away.

"No! I will not have you think of me as just some conquest of yours once I've left!" Flora cried angrily. Was this all he wanted from her? Just a quick roll in the hay before she disappeared into the sunset, well no, she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

"Then don't go!" Jarvis whispered intently, grasping her by the wrist and pulling her resistant form against him. "Stay here…….with me." He added, reaching up once more to gently trace the side of her face brush the loose hair back from it.

"Really…?" Flora murmured, looking up at him, her expression of disbelief slowly turning to one of joy.

"Really" Jarvis whispered back, sliding his arms slowly round her waist and pulling her firmly against him, her shawl falling forgotten to the ground as he leant down and kissed her on the lips once more. This time not pulling away, Flora returned the kiss, sliding her arms up round his neck and running a hand up into his hair.

"Why are so curious when you showed little interest in my motives earlier? Although that didn't exactly stop you from responding rather enthusiastically when I was actually kissing you." He added with a smirk, watching as she blushed and refused to meet his gaze.


	4. Jen's Add Servant's Scene

The answer was crystal clear to her when she turned to look at Walter, who hadn't been able to tare his eyes away, after seeing her euphoric response to this most perfect of settings. However, their surroundings couldn't distract them any longer, as they titled their heads in unison, tenderly locking lips, in an all consuming kiss.

As things progressed, the butler reached down, and carefully scooped up his reason for being, as though she weighed no more than a feather, before slowly lowering her onto the previously untouched bed. He rested her head (which was still firmly attached to his own) gently onto one of the goose-feathered pillows.

When he reluctantly withdrew, she smiled a deliriously happy smile, as he clambered, somewhat nervously onto the bed beside her. Like the gentleman he had always endeavoured to be, he waited a second for permission, before advancing on top of her when this was most willingly granted. Suspended above her, he took her hands, lacing his fingers through hers, pushing them far above her head. She wriggled beneath him slightly, raising both her eyebrows and gave a sultry smile, he lowered his head, resting his forehead on hers, at which they both breathed in deeply through their noses. This coincidence invoked a giggle from both parties but when Walter pulled away ever- so-slightly, they were locked in each others gaze, and the laughter stopped.

When she could hold back no longer, Flora wrenched her head from the pillow, kissing him hungrily, with such force that it caused him to roll over slightly, until they both lay on their sides. On coming up for air, he drew her into a fierce hug, which, more than likely, didn't do her circulation the power of good. At this very moment though, that factor was of secondary concern as they had both totally surrendered themselves, neither prepared to let the other go, even for a second. Confession time was not over yet for Jarvis, as he whispered breathlessly, between placing kisses on her neck "I've missed you SO much!"

Flora prised him off her, holding his shoulders, "Me too, like you wouldn't believe" She ran her hands up and down the front of his now infamous waistcoat, breathing heavily, and swept away by the emotion pleaded "Lets never speak of it again!"

As she shook her head vigorously, a small whisp of hair found its way free. Jarvis moved to amend this immediately, brushing it from her cheek. He reached up and released her hair grip, continuing his hand, tracing the outline of her body. Both pairs of eyes followed his hand, but when it reached her waist, she grasped it in her own, and both looked up into each others eyes, their breath caught in their throats.

After less than a second Flora squeezed his hand and drew it further around her back, pulling him back on top of her. To show his appreciation, he rose onto his knees, straddling his legs either side of hers, before pulling her towards him, so she sat up, freely allowing him to run his hands through her hair, and then across her back, kissing her with unrestrained passion. Before this all but exhausted him, Walter broke the kiss and rested his chin on her left shoulder, and here the pair soothingly rocked back and forth, perfectly content at such an embrace. Soon he began to unfasten the back of her dress, at which Flora turned her head toward him, and kissed his cheek.

At the touch of her lips, he drew his head round to face her, their noses separated by the smallest of margins. Walter gave her a courteous peck on the lips before he got on with the job in hand. As he had unbuttoned her dress as far as it would go, he now slid it off her shoulders, making sure his lips touched every inch of flesh as it was newly unveiled, periodically nibbling along her collar bone gently. At this simple pleasure, Flora rolled her head back, moaning softly as she ran her fingers vigorously through his hair, before grabbing at the butler's jacket, half tearing it off before she fell back down onto the bed.

As his rolled over jacket was impeding him, Jarvis swiftly attempted to remove it. I say attempted, as sod's law would have it, this was easier said than done, as poor Walter rapidly got himself considerably tangled up. After initially giggling at his feeble attempts to achieve freedom, Flora quickly grew impatient, and after deciding to give him a helping hand, dragged herself up and wrestled the garment off of him. Not to be outdone, Walter took the opportunity to set to work, unlacing her corset. After a lot of practise at doing so (well, not so much of late), this didn't take him long. Instead of removing them separately, in a bid to save precious time, he peeled both her dress and undergarments off in unison, rolling them down the entire length of her body, himself retreating down the bed with them, away from Flora's watchful eyes. On doing so, he kept his own eyes firmly shut, breathing in deeply, wanting to prepare himself for the sheer vision he was about to behold.

However, as this was about to be revealed to him, it was tantalisingly snatched away. On looking up toward her, he discovered Flora had grabbed at the bed clothes, covering all her modesty with the downy silk sheets. Jarvis looked dumbstruck at this (which didn't go unnoticed by his lady) - surely she wasn't backing out now! He wasn't going to give her the chance! he resolved as he slowly, but surely advanced forward on all fours, towards his goal.

He tried pulling the sheet from over her, but in a moment of extraordinary human strength, she didn't give an inch. He decided a different approach was required, stopping with the tugging of the sheets and simply crawling over her, placing the sweetest kiss on her nose. For a second, Flora let go, but as he went to snatch at the sheet, she beat him to it, grinning smugly at her victory.

At this, he rolled off her, huffing to vent his frustration, burying his head into the mattress. Flora curled up into a ball, leaning back against the exquisitely engraved headboard, staunchly tucking the sheet up under her chin, and began to affectionately poke and prod her lover with her left foot. When his ribs could take no more, he gave in and looked up to her. It was then that Flora decided to put him out of his 'misery', with a surreptitious smile and a crafty glint in her eye, she teased "Well, why should you have all the fun!" At this, she raised an eye brow and nodded for Water to get off the bed.

Momentarily, he was devastated, this wasn't happening, they couldn't stop there! Reluctantly he tore himself from her side and stood on the rug beside the bed.

"Well…?" Flora enquired, straightening out her legs and folding her arms impatiently across her chest.

"Well wha- .. ahhhh" Jarvis replied as he realised what this was all about, apart from his jacket - he was still fully clothed! "I see…" he cooed, grinning to himself, letting out a sharp blast of air through his nose and looking down at the rug, shaking his head at his own nativity.

He gazed back up at her, her expectant face now complete with the biting of the lower lip. He began removing his items of clothing, one by one, with extreme exaggeration (trying to be sexy, but actually in manner of Full Monty, hopping rather nervously on one leg!) Flora watched intently, drumming her feet against the mattress, venting her anticipation, her grin widening with every piece discarded, though the raucous laughter was inherent from the outset.

All that was now left was his shirt and tie, but as he went to remove the strip of black material from around his collar, the now exceedingly amorous housekeeper called out her next order "Oh no ….No, you can leave that on!"

"Really!" he gasped, cocking his head to one side, her silly ideas never ceased to amaze him.

"Oh yes" she replied graciously, throwing back his half of the bed covers with her left hand, her right seductively stroking the pillow beside hers. This was an invitation no man, least of all Jarvis would dream of turning down, so quickly, as though she were about to disappear in a puff of smoke, he practically dived onto the bed beside her. However, this still wasn't close enough for Flora Ryan, who grabbed at the tie she had requested stayed put, and pulled him against her, capturing his lips with her own. At the same time, Jarvis managed to seize the rich coloured blanket, pulling it over the two of them.

Eventually, he came to rest just next to her, his head on her chest, where it remained for sometime. The pair thought to themselves that this and no where else in the entire world was where they most wanted to be, where they belonged.

As they hadn't spoken, let alone moved for some time, and the rest had only served to increase Flora's appetite, she became a little (understatement!) anxious and tried, in vain, to haul herself up, only to discover that Walter had in fact managed to fall asleep on her! After the initial internal screaming of 'How DARE he!' she managed to calm herself down. When she was no longer feeling quite put out at this, she placed a loving peck on the crown of his head, whispering "I love you" into his grossly dishevelled hair, before sighing deeply to herself, as she looked up at the ceiling, placing her head back on the pillow. She continued to caress his soft hair, staring (unbelievably considering recent events) at the unspeakably beautiful ring he had finally managed to get onto her finger, indeed, onto the correct finger! As she did so, it occurred to her that Walter's right hand was resting protectively on her stomach, the most reassuring and equally overwhelming eventuality, the thought of which brought tears to her eyes, and did not escape her mind, until she too drifted off. It was there that the two lovers slept silently, cradled in each others arms.


	5. Grem's Taplows Murder Mystery

The clock struck midnight, the main house was totally silent, however below stairs, there were many people still up and about.

Andrew Adams was sat in his room, writing a letter on his worn desk, sipping a glass of brandy.

Emily Cory and Felix Kraus were sat plotting about what they were going to do about the estranged couple.

In the maids room, Charlotte Lewis, Grace May and Elizabeth McDuff were sat gossiping about Adams and his suspected mistress, Lady Rebecca Farquherson.

In the Footmen's room, George Cosmo, Fredrick Matkin and Joseph James were sat sniggering and whispering about a trick they were planning to play on Adams and Kraus, while William Forest lay, pretending to be asleep thinking about his beautiful housekeeper.

Frank Kenally was sat drumming his fingers on his desk thinking what to do about Jarvis and his mistress.

Flora Ryan was sat in front of her mirror, brushing through her curls, before retying it up and walking to the cupboard to find her shawl. 

As the clock stuck half past a silent shot was fired, the figured sneaked out of the dining room, while Walter Cory lay flat on his back, waiting to be discovered.

The next day the police were called in, Walter was moved up to sickroom, while a policeman stood guard over his room, and another over the dining room. The rest of the staff were to stay in the servants hall and it was made sure that no one left the room.

"This is ridiculous!" Flora shouted, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I just want to go and see him."

"Look, Mrs Ryan, you have been told to sit still like a good girl and if there is any change you will be told," P.C. Rathmell insisted. 

Felix stood up and wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed into his shoulder, and Fred and Joe glanced at each other and then over to Will. After a while, another policeman arrived, along with the doctor.

"Good news," Doctor Evans began, "he is going to be fine."

Emily and Flora sighed with relief.

"I am Sargent Parks, I'm going to investigate this case."

"Case?" Felix asked, puzzled.

"Yes, attempted murder, now there are only 12 of you here at the moment, so that narrows it down a bit," he says.

"What you think it was someone in the house, in this room?" Grace gasped. 

"Yes, miss. I do."

"Who'd do such a thing?" Charlotte whispers, clutching onto Grace. 

Everyone glances around the room.

"Now you may all go now, on one condition… no one leaves the grounds I'll be interviewing you all, individually and I'll be talking to Mr Cory, see what he remembers-"

"Can I go and see him?" Flora blurts out, cutting him off, the Sargent and doctor nods and she hurries off, without listening to him finish. 

"Well you may go." They all hurry away. "Right what have we got, Pete?" 

Sargent Richard Parks and P.C. Pete Rathmell got straight into the case. So… he'd been found next morning at 7, by a Grace May, who'd been on her way to find Mrs Ryan in her office, however she wasn't there. 

"Had dinner been cleared away?" The Sargent asked, leaning back in Walter's desk chair.

"Half of it, sir." Grace replies.

"Half of it? Who's job is it usually to do that?"

"Mrs Ryan's."

"What did you do after you found him?"

" I screamed and everyone came rushing in."

"Really?" Grace nods. "Everyone?"

"As far as I could tell, I mean I was in shock"

"Then what happened?"

"Well Mr Adams took control, while Mr Kraus took Mrs Cory and Mrs Ryan away, who wanted help him, but Adams told no one to move him and he sent Fred to get the police and Joe to go and get the doctor." He nods.

"How long have you been working here, Miss May?"

"Erm… 3, maybe 4 years." The Sargent nods.

"So you know all the staff really well." She nods. "Did you notice anything different about any members of staff last night, or this morning?"

"I don't know… there's been a bit of a tense atmosphere around this place lately. Especially with the Earl being away, everyone's got more time, so are finding it harder to get along."

"A tense atmosphere between who?" The Sargent asked sitting up straight.

"It's not really my place to say… but, between certain members of male staff fighting over a certain member of female staff."

"Who!" 

"Mr Jarvis and Will… over Mrs Ryan. It's begun to get physical, and this is not the first time, Mr Jarvis has hit someone over Mrs Ryan." 

"Well how about that?" Glancing at P.C. Rathmell. "I think that is all, if there is anything, please do come and tell me." She nods, standing up. "Oh and one last thing, what were you doing last night, around 12:30?"

"I was asleep, sir."

"In the maids room?" She nods. "Who else was there?"

"Liz and Charlotte, we'd been talking until 12:10ish and then we all fell asleep." He nods.

"Thank you, Miss May." She nods and walks towards the door.

So… William Forest… Flora Ryan?

Sargent Parks spent ages in the dining room, looking over the room. Half the crockery was still out and on the table. The thing that was puzzling Richard was… there was a carving knife on the table, why the need for a gun, if that was out. Surely that meant that it had been planned, instead of self defence or a spare of the moment thing. There was an empty brandy glass on the edge of the table at the end Walter had been found at. The Sargent walked around the table and towards Flora's desk, there were no papers on her desk, that puzzled him, he knew that his desk back at the station was full of papers and he'd noticed that Mr Jarvis' was covered in them too. He pulled her drawers opens, and rummaged through them, the top whole had lots of papers shuffed in it. The bottom one was locked, that was odd, picking up the keys that Mrs Ryan had given him, he opened the bottom drawer, it was totally neat and tidy, yet in the top, one it would have been impossible to find a thing. It was only then, that he noticed the cigar but over by the window, walking slowly to it, he quickly noticed that the window, was in direct line with her desk, which brought him to the conclusion that any papers on there would have ended up all over the room if she opened her window on a windy day. Sighing to himself, he slowly exited the room, he was getting no where.

Walking up to the sickroom, he passed no one, everyone seemed to be keeping themselves to themselves, knocking on the door, he heard Emily Cory call for him to enter. He did so and saw Flora kneeling down besides his bed, holding his hand tightly, while Emily was sat in a chair, sewing. Walter was awake, he looked up at the Sargent and gave him a weak smile, however when Flora looked up, she didn't even give him half a smile.

"Mrs Ryan, Mrs Cory, would it be possible for me to have a moment alone with Mr Cory?" They nod, and both stand up, Flora leaning down giving him a kiss on the forehead, before exiting. "Feeling any better, Mr Cory?"

"Much, it's that woman, gives me the strength to do anything," chuckling slightly.

"Mrs Ryan?" And Walter nods. "Mr Cory, how much of last night, do you remember?"

"Not much, erm… I can remember up to about after dinner, I'd stayed behind to have a brandy and cigar."

"Was there anyone else there?"

"Felix and my mother for a while, but then they left and it was just Flora and I."

"Was she clearing away dinner?" Walter nods. "About what time was this.

"10ish, maybe later, we'd had an extremely late dinner"

"Can you remember when Mrs Ryan left?" He shakes his head.

"We were talking, I remember that, but after that, my mind goes blank." He nods, thinking to himself.

"And you don't remember seeing anyone else after that?" He shakes his head.

"You don't think it was Flora do you!"

"Oh no, no, these questions are only procedure." Walter nods.

There was still no sign of the near murder weapon and the Sargent announced that perhaps it was time, they did a room search, without any of the staff knowing, meanwhile Sargent Parks, decided it was time he had a nice little chat with Flora Ryan.

"So you are telling me, that after dinner you began to clear up the dinner, but you left you rest of it, deciding that you'd do the rest of it in the morning and you left your office at about 11:30, leaving Mr Jarvis in your office alone?" She nods. "Have the two of you slept together, Mrs Ryan?" She looks up quickly.

"I beg your pardon!"

"Have Mr Cory and yourself, slept together, having sexual relations? I mean you've been seeing each other for a while now."

"Yes, we have."

"Really, then why last night, did you leave him in you office, instead of the two of you going somewhere?"

"Erm…" She was lying! "Well… I wasn't feeling very well."

"Even so, surely the two of you share a bed?"

"Well, yes, but I didn't want to pass my cold on." He nods, disbelievingly. "Mrs Ryan, does anyone have keys to your drawers except you?" She shakes her head.

The more he interviewed people the more he confirmed his suspicions that Flora was lying. While interviewing Adams, he told him, that Mrs Ryan was incredibly punctual and never had she before left the dinner from the evening before out, Frank Kenally said a similar thing, however Miss McDuff had the most interesting thing to say. She'd apparently seen Flora fleeing from her office at about 11:30 and hurrying upstairs, she was crying and she'd heard her and Jarvis shouting at each other, although she hadn't heard what about.

"Jarvis remembers her starting to put the crockery away at 10ish he said, however she didn't leave until 11:30, that's a long time for two people to sit in a room together." P.C. Rathmell nods. "So they argued, that she neglected to tell us and she flees upstairs." 

"But sir, if she was gonna kill him, wouldn't she just have picked the knife up off the table and stabbed him." The Sargent thinks about this for a moment.

"No, she was upset, she fled upstairs, and had time to think, then got the gun, went back downstairs, shot the bd, simple as that, besides he's surely a lot stronger than her, she wouldn't have managed it."

"But, what did he do in her office for an hour?" The Sargent shrugs. "It sounds like a lot of guess work to me sir." He nods.

"But what else have we got?"

"The Forest lad, you've still got to speak to him. It could have been anyone, not one person got a strong alibi. What about Kenally, he doesn't like Jarvis, or Adams he's next in line for his job." The Sargent nods.

"I think we stick with Ryan for now."

What were they arguing about?

Next day, there was still no sign of the near murder weapon and the Sargent was going for a walk around the grounds, giving himself a chance to think. There was something bugging him… something Miss May had said… that was it. Adams had told no one to move the body. Rathmell had said that Adams was next in line for Jarvis' job… however something that happened next was to quickly put the thought of Adams out of his head.

The staff were all eating in the hall in the absence of being able to use the table in Flora's office, only Frank was eating, not dwelling in pity for Jarvis, everyone else was sat staring at there food. Flora stood up and made her way over to the door, intending to go and see her wounded loved one, but Sargent Parks appeared in the doorway. 

"Are Mrs Ryan, just leaving?" He says, his eyes narrowing. "If you would sit back down, I've an announcement to make. We've found the gun." Everyone looks up. "And we are ready to make an arrest."

"Well?" Flora asks.

"Who is it?" Emily continues.

"Tell me again, Mrs Ryan what Mr Cory and yourself did between the hour and a half you were alone in your office, and had stopped putting away the evenings dinner?"

"Talked." 

"What did you talk about?"

"What do two people usually talk about?"

"I'm asking you."

"Business matters… things. How am I supposed to remember what we talked about?"

"And one more thing, you left half the dinner out of the table why?" 

"Because I wasn't feeling very well and decided to finish it in the morning."

"You weren't feeling well, yet you stayed up for another hour and a half and 'talked'!" He snaps and Flora steps back.

"What are you suggesting, Sargent?" She asks coolly.

"I'm not suggesting anything Mrs Ryan, I'm merely going to state that now we found you in possession of the attempted murder weapon, we have enough evidence to take you in." A few people gasp.

" You can't be serious!"

"I'm entirely serious, now if you will?" he say, indicating to the door. 

"But I didn't! I wouldn't! Why would I want to kill him! I love him!" 

"Don't ask my Mrs Ryan, love does very strange things to people, you could have a number of reasons."

He grabs her arm and she struggles for a moment, before allowing him to take her. A stunned Felix and Emily get up and follow them. 

"There's something you don't see every day!" Frank sniggers. "Good on you Mrs Ryan!" He shouts. "About time someone sorted that damn butler out."

"Shut it Kenally!" Will hisses.

"Ooooo, sorry mate, forgot you totally infatuated with the lass." Lizzie grasps the edge of her chair, tightly.

He lay upstairs in bed, doing his best to think. Think about what had happened. There was a little knock on the door and he told them to enter. Felix and Emily walked in.

"Where's Flora?" He asks, sitting up. Felix and Emily glance at each other and Felix begins.

"She's been arrested." Walter's eyes widen in shock. "The Sargent thinks it was her." Emily shakes her head.

"She wouldn't!" Emily shouts and Walter stares at the wall.

Down at the station, Sargent Parks was not having much success.

"Look, sir. The D.I.'s gonna say we don't have enough. We've got a gun, we've no fingerprints. That's it!" P.C. Rathmell sighed. 

"Fingerprints! Did you find any gloves in Ryan's room?" He shakes his head. "Well get back to Taplows and start looking, I'll come along tomorrow."

Next day, when the Sargent arrived at Taplows, he found the P.C., who told him that Fred Matkin was missing his gloves. As the footmen had gloves, only Fred's were missing.

"I'm just trying to think when I had 'em last, sir. I'm sure I put them back with my boots."

"Was anyone else there?"

"George and Liz," Fred says, thinking hard,

"What was Miss McDuff doing in the footmen's room?"

"She was looking for Will." The Sargent nods, putting this piece of information to the back of him head. "Maybe I should have a word with Mr Forest."

"That's ironic, you've made an arrest, but having talked to the person, who would want to kill Jarvis most." The Sargent raises his eyebrow, thinking about this and set out to find Will. He was told he'd find him in the bottom garden, pining for his loved one. However he did notice that he was not the only one looking for Will, however she beat him to it and he watched her.

"You alright?" Will jumps and turns to look at her.

"Been better."

"Oh come on Will, she's a murderer, well nearly, surely she's not worth crying over."

"How can you say that Liz? I thought you and Grace and Charlotte were on her side."

"I am, we are, everyone is, except Frank, but I hate to see you like this." Taking his hands and he looks at her, his eyes narrowed. 

"I can't believe she'd do something like this."

"I know. I thought her and Jarvis were devoted to each other. You'll have to get over this, sooner or later Will." He nods. "I'm always here for you." He nods and she gets up and begins to walk and sees the Sargent walking towards them, he'd doubled back, so they wouldn't know he'd been listening and whispers. "Sargent, I've remembered something else. I saw Mrs Ryan coming out of her room at 12:20sh."

"Saw?" 

"I mean heard, it woke me up, she was struggling with her key I think." The Sargent nods and thanks her, carrying on, walking towards Will. 

He didn't get much out of Will, he'd been asleep in the footmen's room from 11:45 till morning, the rest of the footmen could back that up, he sighed to himself as he watched Will walk away.

What were they arguing about? That same question kept popping up in his head. There was something niggling at him. What was it? He needed more proof, nail Flora… for a moment he nearly had it but… no. He stared at the big Oak Tree as the wind blew the leaves to the ground. 

"His shoulder, his shoulder…." The Sargent keeps repeating. "Why would someone shoot him in the shoulder?"

"Maybe they had a bad shot?"

"Maybe he was moving… or maybe they had a very good shot and were aiming for his shoulder."

"But that wouldn't kill him." Exactly! The Sargent thinks to himself. 

"What was the weather like that night, Pete?"

"Erm… windy, quite a nice temperature, clear sky, I think." Suddenly he smiles.

"Pete go and get a key to Mrs Ryan's room and get up there! I think I've got it!" He dashed up to her room and burst though the door, and quickly saw the shawl on the back her chair, picking it up, he picked an oak leaf of it.

"Oh the door is already unlocked," says Pete, appearing in the doorway. 

"That's not what I needed it for. What I wanted you to do, is stay here and jangle that key in the lock." Pete looks at him puzzled, and he hurries down to the maids room.

The Sargent reappears and smiles, I've got it! Just one or two things he need to check out and he'd be fine, and would have a case… surely.

That night, Walter was helped downstairs, into the servants hall, where everyone else was waiting patiently, watching the Sargent. After a lot of waiting Mrs Ryan arrived, she did everything she could to avoid eye contact with anyone.

"Come on now, Sargent! Are you going to tell us what this is about! I'm sure I'm not the only one with things to be doing!" Frank shouts and the Sargent turns to look at him.

"Alright." He says and beings to pace up and down, glancing at everyone in turn. "This has been a difficult case, cause non of you had strong enough alibis, or maybe you did, but just couldn't say." Glancing at Flora, who raises her eyebrow. "This is what I think happened. Everyone finishes there dinner. Mrs Ryan begins to clear away dinner, however she gets distracted, by… I don't know, let's say, Mr Jarvis was feeling rather randy." The footmen snigger, save Will and Grace and Charlotte glance at each other. "That's besides the point, anyway, he's smoking, drinking brandy… so decides to open the window, however the papers on Mrs Ryan's desk, go everywhere, and he begins to collect them up and puts them in her top, however he sees something that catches his eye. Mr Forest can you draw?" Will looks up.

"A little."

"This catches his eye, holding up a little half burnt drawing of Flora, I didn't see it at first with all the papers in her drawers. And they begin to row. Correct me if I'm wrong Mrs Ryan?" She shakes her head and he carries on. " She ends up storming out, and he… I'm guessing he fell asleep in her chair, or something. However someone heard them rowing, Miss McDuff, rowing over Mr Forest. The Mr Forest she was earlier telling to forget about Mrs Ryan and move on, tell me Miss McDuff, are your feeling towards Mr Forest, slightly more than unprofessional?" She doesn't answer and he continues. "You said 'I thought she and Jarvis were devoted to each other', one may interpret this as her saying that Mrs Ryan wouldn't have tried to kill Mr Jarvis, however what she meant was, she didn't think Mrs Ryan would start shagging Mr Forest…." Jarvis swallows. "….Anyway a jealous Miss McDuff decides to try and drop Mrs Ryan in it. Starting by making sure she mentions to me that she'd heard the two of you arguing. And then Mr Matkin mentioned that when he'd last had his gloved you been there looking for Mr Forest, all you had to do was go back, when everyone was working, take the gloves, then wait until Miss May and Miss Lewis had fallen asleep and you could sneak downstairs, shoot him in the shoulder, just enough so you wouldn't kill him, but you could frame Mrs Ryan, so you hide the gun in her room and disposed of the glove, however you dropped yourself in it, by mention that you'd seen Mrs Ryan leaving her room, you were suppose to be asleep-"

"I heard!"

"However when I listened to see if you could hear Mrs Ryan's key from the maids you couldn't possibly have heard it from there and then the noise of the wind on top of that, however you did see her struggling to lock her door, which in the end she left unlocked, and you knew that this was your only chance to hide the gun in her room, while she was down at the Oak Tree." Flora suddenly looks up and Will glances at her, the three look between each other and the Sargent sees the pleading look in both there eyes, he gives each of them a little wink.

"You don't have any proof!" he pulls the gloves out of his pocket with a flourish.

"I noticed that you have very small hands, however Mrs Ryan has large hands, and then I also noticed that Mr Matkin has got extremely small mans for a man and there was no way, this would fit Mrs Ryan." Mrs Ryan smiles.

"So I'm in the clear!" He nods and she smiles.

"P.C. Rathmell, if you'll escort Miss McDuff down town."

Lizzie goes quietly, Walter is taken back up to bed and Flora goes for a quick word with the Sargent.

"How did you find out about the Oak Tree?" she asks

"Mr Forest was sat there yesterday and I found the leaf on your shawl and I put 2 and 2 together, like Miss McDuff all he had to do is wait for the rest of the footmen to fall asleep and he could go and meet you." She smiles at him. "May I just make one suggestion?" They nod. "Choose between the both of them, before something else like this happens."

"Oh I'm not seeing Will. We met up so I could tell him to stop pestering me, after he drew that picture of me, while I was asleep, I decided to set him straight." The Sargent smiles at her. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Keep well, my dear." She nods and sighing softly, turns and makes her way upstairs to Walter's room to nurse his poor shoulder.

Upstairs, he'd insisted that everyone leaves him as he waits for Flora, she entered and he walked towards her.

"I'm sorry. For getting the wrong idea about you and Will," he whispers and she whispers.

"Just because he fancies me… doesn't mean that I fancy him back… I love you. Oh when I thought I was going to loose you." He smiles and kisses her softly and slowly he begins to unbutton her dress. "Walter, we can't. You'll just hurt your shoulder more." 

"Listen Flora, when I got shot in the shoulder before and it was all over, you wouldn't let me make love to the damsel, that I'd saved from distress… but now it's all over this time, you have to let me make love to you or the story wouldn't be complete, even if I had a broken leg and was slipping in and out of consciousness, you'd still have to let me make love to you… now that it's all over." He whispers, continuing to unbutton her dress as she giggles at the plain stupidness of his story and just allowed him to make love to her… finishing the story.


	6. Grem's Modernised Servant's

They've left Taplows, flora has just buggered off leaving walter and her 3 kids and no one knows where she is. (Also there are telephones in this one, like i said on my other message, i make the world fit in with my plot)

They all stopped talking as Walter entered, he slowly made his way over to the drink cabinet to pour himself a drink, before sitting down at the table with the others.

Felix: You alright?

Walter: Samuel has been asking for Flora again. They all swallow How do you explain to a 4 year old child that his mother may never come back? And if I can't do that how I am supposed to explain it to a 2 year old child? Do I just keep telling that she's gone to visit Grandma and just wait for them to realise? And then what happens that day when they are 10 and they ask what happened to their mother? What do I tell them? How do I ever explain to them what a wonderful woman Flora Cory was? Will they ever know how brilliant their mother was. 

Grace: You can't talk like that, she could be back next week, she could be back tomorrow.

Walter: It's been 9 days now and no one has heard or seen anything from her. We all know she was struggling coping. How am I suppose to tell my 3 children that their mother left them because her husband didn't help her enough and she couldn't cope with everything on her own. 

Will: You can't blame yourself for this.

Walter: I've got to blame someone. He sighs I just want her to write or her mother or someone to write, just so I know she is alright. No one says anything, Walter looks down at the table, before getting up and pouring himself another drink.

Felix: Walter, don't you think you've had enough, you've got to get up to work tomorrow. Trying to take the drink off him

Walter: Get off! He shouts, causing them all to jump. Just get out of my house! All of you! They all glance at each other and stand, all of them muttering goodbye, but he doesn't even acknowledge them. He rests his head on the table and begins to sob loudly, thumping his fists on the table.

Eleanor: Daddy. in a whisper, standing in the doorway, in her pyjamas. Are you alright? Walter doesn't say anything, but beckons her over to him, opening his arms to her, and hugging her tightly. Mummy's not coming back is she?

Walter: I don't know princess, I don't know.

Eleanor: Well I'll look after you.

Walter: You can look after Samuel, Robert and I, won't you? She nods and he smiles.

Eleanor: It'll be alright, we'll manage.

Rebecca: Flora darling, have you considered what your family will be going through?

Flora: Of course I have. she whispers, sipping the cup of tea, Rebecca had just handed her.

Rebecca: Then don't you think you should tell them you are alright? Walter will be worried sick and you've got 3? Flora nods children to be thinking about.

Flora: I know this Rebecca. I really do. It was so hard to leave my three little darlings… and Walter, but maybe this way is better for them as well as me. What sort of example would that be to three children, them growing up watching their mother not begin able to cope? 

Rebecca: How old are your children?

Flora: Eleanor, my little princess is 10. Samuel, my big little boy is 4 and Robert, my little baby has just gone 2. Rebecca smiles.

Rebecca: Ring them.

Flora: Have you seen the time?

Rebecca: Walter will still be up… surely. Flora nods and Andrew passes her the phone. She dials the number and waits for a moment. 

Walter: Hello? Flora doesn't say anything Hello? Is anyone there? He hears someone breathing Flora! Flora is that you?

Flora in the smallest whisper: I love you. She puts the phone down 

Walter: Flora! Flora! To late.

Andrew: That was a good conversation.

Rebecca: Shut up Andrew. What did he sound like?

Flora: Intoxicated. Andrew and Rebecca chuckle. He's got the children, he got Felix, Grace, George, Elizabeth, William all looking after him. She snorts to himself He'll be fine.

A couple of days later Flora left Rebecca and Andrew's house, ready to sort herself out. She was travelling to London from Scotland and seeing what happened from there. Walter watched his children begin to grow up, he gave up his job, so he was there for them all the time and giving Eleanor the chance to go to school. She, as promised, looked after her father and two brothers, with the help of Grace and Lizzie. He hadn't heard anything from or of Flora since the phone call, but he was sure that it had been her. Flora was never mentioned in the Cory house, Walter didn't allow it. Eleanor found it painful to talk about her mother, when the children at school asked about her and Samuel and Robert would secretly ask to look at Felix's photos of her.

After 5 years, Flora was ready. She travelled from Manchester at 3O'clock on the morning back to Eastbourne. It was 4 in the afternoon by the time she reached it. She stepped out of the carriage and walked up the familiar path, pausing in front of the front door, she reached out to touch the handle, but seemed to change her mind and raised her hand to knock on the door. However she followed her first decision and pushed open the door, it made the well-known squeak, which had driven her crazy when Eleanor had run in and out of the house, she smiled at the thought, but then a voice broke her thoughts. 

Walter: Tom? Is that you? Elle's not here at the moment, I thought you were meeting her at yours later? Flora didn't say anything, but continued to walk towards the voice, that had soothed her to sleep so many times in the past. She turned the corner and saw him sat at his desk, scribbling away, exactly the same as he had looked 5 years ago, with his hair slightly greyer and there was less of it.

Flora: I thought my daughter was called Eleanor, not 'Elle'. Walter quickly looked up at her and his mouth dropped.

Walter in a whisper, his voice suddenly hoarse: F- Flora?

Flora: When I last checked. She smiles slightly as his obvious shock for a moment, before deciding to tease him. You know Walter it's rude to stare, with your mouth open. she added. His mouth suddenly shut and he jumped up.

Walter: W-what are you doing here?

Flora: Well this is my house, aswell as yours and those children belong to me, aswell as you and I believe I have a right to see my husband when I wish.

Walter in the smallest whisper: I thought I had a right to see my wife when I wished, but I couldn't exactly do that if I didn't know where she was.

Flora whispering too now: I'm sorry about that.

Walter: No note, no letter, no contact whatsoever for 5 years. Flora looks down How could you do that Flora? How could you leave the children like that… leave me like that?

Flora: You think this was easy for me? You think that I didn't think about the children every day for the last 5 years? You know how much I love those children.

Walter: What about me? Flora doesn't answer for a moment

Flora: You know I love you… more than anyone else in the world. I have for the last 22 years of my life and that will never ever change. I've missed you so much. The tears well in her eyes and she swallows a big lump in her throat. I've thought about you so much. The tears begin to fall and Walter cautiously walks towards her and pulls her into his arms, like he had done on so many occasions. What happened Walter? She muttered into his shoulder.

Walter: I don't know, after Robert was born you began to struggle and I didn't give you any help.

Flora: You had to work.

Walter: Even so, I could have given you much attention. Lack of communication. Flora nods slightly You spent your whole day run off your feet, I spent my day busy at work and when I got home and the children went to bed, we were both too exhausted to even talk. 

Flora: You spent more time with your secretary than you did with me. 

Walter: You spent more time with your broom than you did with me. The two of them giggle

Flora: I'd've preferred you.

Walter: Same here. The two of them chuckle and Flora pulls away, wiping her tears.

Flora: Is it too late Walter, please don't tell me it is? He shakes his head

Walter: Of course it isn't. She smiles. But this time, wrapping his arms around her you have my undivided attention. She giggles slightly, but then someone appears in the doorway of the room.

Flora: Samuel? He nods. Gosh you're big. He looks at her for a moment 

Samuel: Mother? She nods and his eyes widen Rob! Rob! Another, smaller lad comes running into the room. She's here!

Robert: Who are you? Flora smiles and Walter glances at her.

Walter: Robert that is not very polite.

Samuel: Mother!

Robert: You are my mother! Walter and Flora both chuckle.

Flora: Yes. I am.

Robert: Well it's nice to meet you. Shaking her hand

Flora: Well it's nice to meet you too… for a second time. Samuel clears his throat and you. He smiles You are both massive, compared to how I remember you.

Robert: I haven't grown.

Samuel: Of course you have, everyone grows! You haven't always been that big, silly! Flora giggles softly and pulls a photo out of her pocket.

Flora: Look. crouching down and showing them to photo of Eleanor and Samuel sat on the grass in the park and Robert in Eleanor's arms. That's you and that's you.

Robert: And that's Elle? Flora nods and Robert giggles She looks funny. 

Samuel: How old was I here?

Flora: Erm… well it was almost two years before I left so you must have been nearly about 2.

Robert: What about me?

Flora: You'd only just been born, you were about 3 months here, I think. 

Robert: I don't remember being that little. Flora smiles, glancing at Walter, who winks at her.

Samuel: Rob, you want a game of cricket? He nods.

Robert: Bye. He sees sweetly and to Flora's pleasure, leaning up and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Samuel seemed more reluctant, but did. Flora watched as the two boys ran out, a little skip in her heart. Walter leant in and gently took the photo off her, smiling as he looked at it.

Walter: Do you remember this day?

Flora: How could I forget? Robert only stopped screaming to have his photograph taken. Walter chuckles Samuel was pocking Robert, sat with me and you helped Eleanor make a daisy chain. He nods How is she?

Walter: Big, mature… Much more mature than either of us ever were, I don't know where she got it from. Flora chuckles She's clever, hardworking, just as beautiful as her mother. Flora blushes slightly She's got a boyfriend. So if there is a strange man in the house in the morning, when you go down to breakfast, you don't get so much of a shock.

Flora: He stays the night? Walter nods bitterly. How old is he?

Walter: 17.

Flora: You hate that right? He nods and she chuckles

Walter: He's a nice enough lad though and he looks after her.

Flora: Good. nodding slightly Are you still working at the office? He shakes his head

Walter: I quit a while after you left, so Eleanor could go to school, and I quit my major job, but I got that back a couple of years ago, once things had begun to settle down. She nods and they look at each other for a moment, positively beaming. What about you?

Flora: Oh Gosh! I've visit nearly every town in the whole of Great Britain, never mind England. After I left I went up to Scotland to see Rebecca and Andrew. Walter nods And since then I've just been everywhere, seen my family, had jobs and just got myself back on my feet.

Walter: Sounds exciting. She nods slightly You haven't changed at all. She smiles. Still as beautiful as you always were.

Flora: You're still as charming as you always were.

When Eleanor got back that night she entered the living room with Tom and looked at her father lay on the sofa, smoking a cigar, a glass of brandy in his other hand. She then glanced at another glass on the table.

Eleanor: You look far too relaxed for my liking. Tom chuckles

Walter: I'm happy.

Eleanor: Who's the woman? Raising her eyebrow and indicating to the lip mark on the other glass.

Tom: You can't ask your father that. She storms over to the window and pushes it open.

Walter: Go up to my room and you'll see.

Eleanor: I'm not sure I want too! I don't want to walk in your room to find a strange woman in your bed.

Walter: You may find she more familiar than strange.

Eleanor: It's not Grace or Lizzie is it!

Walter: No! This is going to be even more of a shock.

Eleanor: All women you sleep with are a shock.

Walter: Hey! Just because she's in my bed, doesn't mean I'm sleeping with her. I mean I hopefully will be tomorrow, but not tonight, need to give her time. Besides she has the right to sleep in her own bed. Eleanor's eye's widen

Eleanor: Is it… mother? Walter takes a sip of his brandy and nods. You are joking! laughing nervously to herself Please, tell me you are joking! Cause it's not funny! It really isn't!

Walter: I am being totally serious, go and look if you don't believe me. 

Eleanor: I will do! Goodnight! grabbing Tom's arm and pulling him upstairs with her. He's sick! Joking like that! But when they reach his bedroom door, she pauses and lowers her hand to the handle, pushing the door open, silently. Oh my god. She whispers and slowly walks towards her, looking at the sleeping form of her mother, reaching down she stroked her hair softly. One of Flora's eyes opened slowly and a smile crept across her face, she reached up and ran a hand down the side of Eleanor's face and muttered 'my princess' before closing both her eyes again. Eleanor stood for a moment, before she felt Tom tug at her and pull her away and out of the door. Oh my God. she whispers again, the tears welling in her eyes. She's back. After 5 years, she's back.

Tom: That wasn't too difficult? Eleanor shakes her head.

Eleanor coldly: But if she pisses my father about again… I swear I'll….!

Tom: Don't you think you should wait till tomorrow to make any rash promises. She nods

Eleanor: I'm not sure if I'm happy she's back or angry.

Tom: Decide after you've spoken to her. I want to talk to this woman, you describe as the 'evil bitch who buggered off and left you.'


	7. Grem's Alt Servant's Twist

As they waited for the absent housekeeper, Johnny was giving out the mail, they was post for every member of staff, and by the looks of things it was all from the same person. Almost at the same time, every opened there own letter.

Dear Felix,

Over the years you've always been there for me. Helped me in times of need, you were willing to marry me for the sake of my respect and I really do appreciate that.

However things are stretching far to out of hand for me to be able to manage any more. There is nothing you can do to help me anymore, although I'm sure you'd have tried. It's all my fault, I've not been honestly truthful with you or anyone for a while.

I ask two favours of you. The first, do something about Frank Keneally before he has chance to ruin everyone's life.

And the second, pray for my soul, I've made more mistakes than I can count, you know them, Walter, the baby, my night with Will (which you know now), however I've tried my hardest.

I wish you well in your life ahead,

Flora x

My dearest Emily,

It would be wish that you thought of me as your daughter-in-law, even if Walter and I never managed to get that far. I always thought of you as a mother, you are twice the woman my mother is.

It would also be my wish that you don't think too badly of me for leaving Walter and yourself and everyone, but you have to understand I can't take anymore.

I hope you feel better knowing that I aren't pregnant, I think I lost my only chance when I was stupid enough to loose my first baby. I would have never been able to give Walter what he wanted, so it's only fair on him, I allow him to move on. I've hurt him enough as is it. You deserve the truth I suppose. I slept with William Forest, just the once, Walter and I had argued, but it's no excuse.

You must know though, I never loved anyone but Walter.

I am truly sorry,

Flora x

P.S. You and Grace must not let Taplows fall apart in my absence.

My dearest little Gracie,

I wish that one day, I'd told you how much I love you. You were the little girl I never had and no matter what happened to you, you always managed to stay on your two feet, something I never managed to do. I have given you and Emily Taplows, promise me you'll look after everything and everyone.

Also, you must do something about your relationship with George, before it's too late. Take it from experience. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Do it for me.

And stay away from Frank Keneally.

All the love I have left in me,

Flora x

Dear Will,

I know you must hate and despise me, but please try and forget about all that. I don't want you hating your memory of me.

Think of what you must, Frank told me what you thought of me anyway. So even if you think of me as some whore that's fine, as long as it pleases your small mind.

You let me down Will, you really did. You've let Frank hurt me. But I wish you forget about that.

Also you must know, that even though I said I was just using you that night, for that moment when I wasn't thinking about Walter, I really did love you, even if a second later it became lust again.

I must thank you, for bringing me back to life after my accident.

I hope you fall in love and can be happy.

Your lover, mother, friend forever,

Flora x

Frank, 

Thanks for making me realising my path.

I'm sorry for depriving you of getting your way with someone more respectable than a whore.

Mrs Ryan.

Upstairs in her room, Rebecca was ripping open her letter.

My dear Rebecca,

I wish you the best of luck for the future. I hope you'll do the right thing and marry for love and your children, than respect. You have the perfect opportunity to marry Andrew, something I never had with Walter, so please do the right thing for those you love, me and most importantly yourself.

I'm sorry I've given up on you, but I can't be strong for you anymore. I've failed and I can't cope with that fact. So it's time I took a new path.

I hope you'll do the right thing.

I'm forever by your side,

Flora x

Downstairs Walter was opening his letter at the same time as the others.

My dearest darling Walter,

Out of all the letters I've written this has been the hardest. I don't know why it should be, I've written letters of sadness and sorrow to you before, but this time, will be the last. You must know this is nothing to do with you… well not entirely. But I can't take anymore.

I know you've found all this very difficult and I apologise if I've made it all harder. I haven't meant too. I wish you'd have come and talked to me, but even if you had I don't know what I'd've said. It's probably best this way.

However I'd hate to leave you on this earth with only bad memories of me, so I've given you something special. I've wrapped up my diary and it's on your desk. My diary from my first day of Taplows to this day. I hope you read and will understand. I want you to know it is the entire truth. Full of my deepest and darkest secrets. Some of which you won't like... some bits which may amuse you. But if you read it all you'll understand. It may help you trigger some memories and hopefully you'll remember it all. I'm sure if there are any blanks in your head, Felix will be able to fill you in. 

Finally you must know that I'll always love you. I'll be watching you too, so don't go spending too much money in town.

I wish you the best of luck in the rest of your life.

Forever with you,

Flora x

Nearly everyone finished at the same time and all looked up in horror. 

Emily: She's not left her room! They all dart to the door and dash upstairs.

Felix hammering on the door: Flora! Flora! They was no answer. A moment later they were joined by Rebecca who'd dashed downstairs, after finishing Flora's letter On the count of three George. He nods 1… 2… 3! The two men charge into the door. They couldn't look. Felix held his hanky chief up to his nose as he stepped into his room, the mixed smell or alcohol and something rotting. Rebecca took one glance and turned and sobbed into Andrew's shoulder. George managed to catch Emily before she hit the floor. Felix and Will dashed forward, Felix stood on the chair by the window, reaching up and releasing the rope from the curtain rail, while Will caught her, gently lowering her onto the bed. Felix took her pulse, he sighed, and carefully released the rope from around her neck. Will look around the room sadly. He picked up a split ink bottle on her desk, which was leaking over some scattered blank papers. Grace passed him a hanky chief and made her way to the window, closing the curtains. She then bent down and picked the empty bottles of brandy and whiskey off the floor, passing them to Will. Flora had laid candles on her drawers and bedside table, most had gone out, but a few or the bigger ones were still dying. Lying on a book on her bedside table was a single rose, each of the red petals had a hole burnt through the middle of it. Grace went to discard of it, but Felix lay a hand on hers and shook his head. At the end of her bed was a collection of things; a shawl, a book on Italy, a half burnt picture of what looked like herself, a piece of baby clothing, which Grace recognised as the one she'd made for Flora when she was pregnant, a letter and on the top a ring, which was undoubtedly her engagement ring.

When Emily came round, she kissed Flora's lifeless forehead and whispered a prayer for her, before turning and making her way to her room. The rest of the staff began to evaporate, a few muttering prayers, a few unable to look, a few daring to stroke her hair or squeeze her hand. Grace refused to leave her side, George tried to pull her away but she shook her head and pushed him away. Felix kissed the crown of her head and made his way out. Rebecca now kissed Flora on the cheek, followed by Andrew, she whispered something in her ear and turned. She stopped in front of Walter, who was leaning on her doorframe and staring at her. Rebecca leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, before carrying on. Andrew passed and lay a gentle hand on his arm, before following her out, leaving Grace, Will and Walter. 

He needed to read the diary, he needed to understand this woman, he knew nothing about, except the fact he was once in love with her. He turned and without a backward glance, strode downstairs. With the help of Will, Grace changed Flora into her favourite dress and sat her up and brushed through her soft hair, leaving it hanging over her shoulders, they lay her back down and relit fresh candles. Grace picked up her engagement ring and placed it back on the finger it belonged, while Will lay a fresh white rose on top of the things at the bottom of her bed. Grace squeezed her hand, one last time and kissed her twice on either cheek and then once on her forehead for good luck, pulling away she whispered her prayer and stood by her desk, waiting for Will. Will leant down and kissed her gently on the tip of her nose, and then softly on her lips. Pulling away a single tear rolled down his cheeks, even if she'd never loved him, he'd loved her and always would. Slowly the pair made their way to the door, making their way out, closed it quietly… as if not wanting to wake her from her peaceful sleep.

Down in his office, Walter is unwrapping the paper around the diary and flicking it open he read the first entry.

30th June 1845

A fresh start. This is my new beginning… a second chance, I'm always ready for a new beginning. Taplows is a beautiful big building, like nowhere I've ever worked. It's surroundings is peaceful, miles of greenery with the scattered pinks and yellows of wild flowers.

The family seem alright… as alright as a family of aristocrats can be. After Lady Caroline stopped looking like she wanted to spit at my feet and his Lordship managed to look at my face rather than my breasts, I was introduced to the butler and the under butler.

The butler, Mr Jarvis, seems pleasant enough, really quite dashing. I think that is the first time I've ever been aroused by someone yelling a set of rules at me. Slightly disturbing. The Under-butler was quite different, Mr Keneally, I think he had a dead eye cause he couldn't seem to stop staring at me. I already don't like him. I was watching him earlier, one minute he's yelling instructions at one of MY maids and next he's grabbing a feel of anyone that passes him. Mr Jarvis seems much more of a gentleman. Like his friend Mr Kraus, the chef. He seems a little… not sure of the word… eccentric, but is nice enough. I think I'm going to like it here. 

End of entry.

Walter stood up to pour himself a brandy… dashing… at his age? He hadn't been called dashing for a good few years before she arrived. He re-reads that first entry, how had she got such a good feel of the place and the people on her first day? Was it just the magic of her writing? Or was she just a perfect read of character and object? 

The more he read of this intriguing woman's life the more he noticed his name. He was now mentioned on nearly every entry, she didn't seem obsessive, but neither did she seem aware of the fact he was mentioned so much. The more he read, the more he began to realise how early they'd fallen in love with each other, even if they hadn't known it. They were odd entries that were just about the two of them, whether they were little entries or pages. He read one entry about once during afternoon tea when their conversation had strayed from their subject and Walter was doing one of his impressions of the Earl. They was a certain paragraph she'd written that he kept reading and couldn't help thinking about.

I couldn't stop laughing! I was hysterical! As he stopped talking, the weirdest thing happened. I was pouring him some tea and he reached over my shoulder to get it and as he did, he rested his opposite hand on my shoulder. I felt a little tingle go through my body. But instead of letting go when he'd got his tea, he trailed his hand all along my back to the other shoulder.

He smiled. It was strange how one little gesture like that could mean so much to someone. As he read through more, he noticed he was not just being mentioned for good now, they'd been arguing a lot lately. However there was one little entry that seemed a break from that. 

19th August 1847

I knew we should never have left Keneally in charge of the days off, he only went and mixed it all up! It's my afternoon off today along with Mr Jarvis'. I don't even want to imagine what sort of chaos the house is going to be in, with us both away.

End entry

She'd obviously written that in the morning. The next bit must have been written that evening.

19th August 1847 10pm

Mr Jarvis took me to the park, it was really enjoyable. We both ate strawberry and vanilla ice-cream as we walked round the pond and watched the ducks. As we walked down the slope, we heard a band playing in the bandstand, cellos, violins, trumpets. They were loads of people dancing on the field. Whether he danced with me to be polite or whether he used it as an excuse to wrap his arms around me, I'll never know, but I'm just glad no one recognised us.

End Entry

Walter sat back in his chair and shut his eyes, imagining that day.

It'd been the hottest day of the year and he could still remember what clothes she'd been wearing, a light blue dress, with short sleeves. If he concentrated hard enough he could smell her that day, her sweet perfume, mixed with the slightest hint of sweat, as she whispered in his ear.

Flora: You know if somebody saw us, you know what they'd think.

Walter: Let them.

He could still remember the look on her face when he'd whispered those two words.

As he read more, things got icier between them, he was beginning to reach the boundaries of his memory now. However what surprised him, was as he read he remembered it all. This particular day, she seemed to have written it in more of a hurry, she must have been writing in her lunch break. It was the day she found out about the wages scam. She seemed confused and her writing was rambled, saying what an unfeeling gentleman he was, how he'd disgusted her and how shocked she was at him. She finished her entry by writing that she didn't know what to do. Underneath that was written 8 words, which weren't part of the entry. They'd been written as if she'd been practising her handwriting or was totally unaware of what she was writing.

I think I've fallen in love with him

Later the same date was written again and the entry read.

17th September 1849 9:34pm

I couldn't turn him in.

After that he was mentioned rarely, and when he was they were words of hatred. Slowly, his nose still in the diary he went and sat at the dining table, with the rest of the staff, lower and higher staff eating together for a change, but he wasn't eating. Every now and again the staff would look up at him, as he muttered 'that was her!' or 'she never did!' He was now reading one of her cold entries about him.

New Years eve 1849

Mr Kraus wants the two of us to talk things through, I can't really see it happening. I think he thinks the two of us have feelings for each other! Could he be any more dense! I don't have any feelings what so ever towards Mr Jarvis! That's ridiculous!

As Walter examined the entry closes he saw her hand must have been shaking and their were what looked like tear smudges ever so often. 

He hardly ever looks at me! He's going to Bristol tomorrow and I for one will be relieved to see the back of him! If he is going to be so cold with me I may as well just… I'll throttle him one day!

End entry

Walter smiled, he just imagine her sat at her desk, bending her quill in frustration, with tears rolling down her cheeks. After that her entries became more mushy again, saying how much she wanted him, but how much she knew he hated her. He was apparently being cold and inconsiderate to her feelings. He could now remember what she was talking about. He wished he'd handled it all differently. He was just thinking about this when a very disturbing entry caught his eye. All the men were at Cumberland except Will.

15th February 1850

I need the men back! The worst thing happened tonight! William Forest was helping me… tidy up the cloth cupboard. Alright we were flirting! But I think- I think! When he put his hand on my waist to reach past me, I- I imagined it was Walter and maybe had a------- tiny orgasm.

Walter gasped! Had he just read that right! Everyone turned to look at him, as he burst out laughing. He couldn't stop! He was in hysterics. Everyone looked at him in horror!

Emily coldly: Funny book? He nods, unable to speak Really? What's it called? sarcastically interested

Walter: The Account of Taplows through the eyes of Flora Ryan. They all look at him In other words her diary.

Felix/Emily: You are reading her diary!

Emily: Walter how could you? She is lay upstairs-!

Walter cutting across her: She wanted me to read it, she said it in her letter. She is so funny this woman, amazing. He read that last sentence again and cracked up again. He looked up at Will and nodding said Thank you, very, very, very much. Will looks puzzled at him. 

Emily: Walter could you be any more unfeeling? The woman has just died! 

Walter: Mother this is Flora Ryan we are talking about! If she knew you were wearing black she throttle you in your sleep. You know how much she hated being serious. Just read this entry! NO DON'T! As she reached for the diary.

Emily: Oh! her voice teasing is she talking about you?

Walter: She isn't actually! She talking about her and Mr Forest…

Will: Really? suddenly interesting

Walter: Nothing… lustful! I haven't got their yet. he says bitterly Just something about when we were in Cumberland without you. Something she said about you and I which was really amusing. He then becomes engrossed again with her entries. He was now beginning to get to the beginning of their relationship, with him returning from Cumberland, he reads the entry of their first kiss and he able to remember what she'd felt like in his hands, what she'd felt like so close.

I didn't want him to stop kissing me. I didn't want him to unwrap his arms from around me.

Felix: What is it? looking at Jarvis' tearful face.

Walter: I'm beginning to remember, everything I'd forgotten. He carefully passes him the diary and allows him to read the moment of their first kiss, carrying on to the next morning when Felix had told her about his wife and her fury and upset. Felix glanced at Walter and saw his far away face. He smiles encouraging and passes the diary back to him. Over the rest of dinner, Walter read everything he'd forgotten. The ups and downs of their relationship, their special moments, the first time they slept together, Mrs Stanwick, the mix up with Felix and the moment she found out she was pregnant, his proposal and then her accident, her calling off the engagement, his pig-headedness… William Forest, reading that broke his heart, but things she wrote after that, began to pick him up again, their reunion, his second proposal… then his accident. Reading this and what came after it really broke his heart. He'd know idea what had been going through her head, she was confused, upset, longing for someone to hold her… she'd written she'd been thinking about visiting Will's arms again, but had written she loved Walter to much to do that again. He now remember everything all this, and everything that went in between, all the day in between which she described in little detail he could recall perfectly. But what he read now was the last straw… written on the page of yesterday's date, was what Frank had done to her or tried to do to her, his threats. Then the last moments of her life… he found unbearable to read. And he knew deep down, no matter what she wrote, it was his fault. He'd driven her away and as a result, Frank had begun to take advantage and now… now she was lay upstairs… lonely. As he had read people had begun to make their way to bed, the pressure of the day, obviously getting to them and the prospect of tomorrow looking far from inviting. Now only Felix and Emily were left. He looked at them, holding back tears and slowly closed the book, laying it down on the table, before whispering. I don't think she ever knew how much I loved her. He breathed in deeply, as Felix and Emily glanced at each other. Not knowing what to do or say, when Walter burst into tears, resting his head on the table. Carefully Emily stood up and leant down beside him, wrapping her arms around him and whispering soothingly.

Emily: She did. She knew you loved her, just as much as she loved you. 

Walter: I could have stopped this. Emily shakes her head

Emily: If you think of it like that, you'll never be able to move on and that's what Flora would want. To see you happy.


	8. Charlie's Drabble

---------

Settling back down more comfortably in his fireside chair, Jarvis rested his elbow on the arm of his chair, gently rubbing his chin while he took the opportunity to look up at his companion once more. The challenge was implicit in his gaze as he watched her hungrily, the flickering shadows thrown up from the fire showing the hesitation on her face.

Leaning forward after a few moments, Flora tentatively reached out her hand, hovering for a moment or two before extending her fingers and slowly, gently caressing and stroking the top with her fingers before drawing back suddenly when she heard Walter's sharp intake of breath.

Glancing up at the butler, she met his intense gaze for a moment, neither saying anything to break the tense atmosphere, before making up her mind and reaching back down between them. This time she stretched out her hand more confidently, her fingers tightening as she grasped more firmly before moving upwards.

Squirming about in his chair as his eyes followed her every movement with intense concentration, the butler struggled to maintain his rapidly waning control. Eventually as she began to draw back he gave in to the urge that had been steadily building up.

Smirking broadly, he leant forward, staring into her eyes before reaching down slowly with his own hand, wanting to prolong the feeling of satisfaction. Picking up his bishop, he manoeuvred it into position on the board, before letting go and grinning up at the surprised housekeeper.

"Checkmate I believe Mrs Ryan...once again!"

----


End file.
